Magnitude 5.9 earthquake — Port-Olry, Vanuatu
A magnitude 5.9 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, east of Australia, where earthquakes are common because several of the Earth’s large plates meet nearby. Port-Olry is a settlement on the island of Espiritu Santo, in the north of the country.
Shallow earthquakes can cause stronger shaking near their source than deeper ones, though the effects depend on local conditions and the distance from the centre of the quake. The US Geological Survey records earthquake locations and measurements; tsunami warnings are assessed separately by monitoring agencies.