Magnitude 5.5 earthquake — Port-Olry, Vanuatu
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Port-Olry, Vanuatu at a depth of about 10 km. Details, shaking intensity and any tsunami information are on the USGS event page.
Explained simply
Vanuatu is an island country in the South Pacific, where the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates meet. Movement along this boundary makes earthquakes common, and many occur beneath or near the sea.
Port-Olry is a settlement on Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu’s largest island. Earthquakes can damage buildings and disrupt transport or communications, while undersea movement can sometimes generate tsunamis; the effects depend on the quake’s location and strength.