No Tsunami Threat to Hawaii After Two 7+ Vanuatu Quakes

By Wendy Osher‎

Vanuatu Earthquake Map, August 20, 2011. Image courtesy USGS.

(Update: 8:35 a.m. 8/20/11)

Hawaii remains clear of any tsunami threat following two large quakes and several smaller tremors in the Vanuatu Islands region this morning.  An initial 7.1 magnitude quake (downgraded from an earlier 7.5 measurement) occurred at 6:55 a.m., followed by several smaller 5+ magnitude earthquakes, and a subsequent 7.0 magnitude quake at 8:19 a.m. HST.

The following information details the list of activity in the region this morning:

• 6:55 a.m. HST: 7.1 magnitude quake 39 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu
• 7:11 a.m. HST: 5.6 magnitude quake 53 miles SW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu
• 7:13 a.m. HST: 5.9 magnitude quake 41 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu
• 7:44 a.m. HST: 5.1 magnitude quake 75 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu
• 8:02 a.m. HST: 5.2 magnitude quake 65 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu
• 8:19 a.m. HST: 7.0 magnitude quake 42 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, Efate, Vanuatu

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center advised that there is NO tsunami threat to Hawaii based on available data.

(Posted at 7:20 a.m. 8/20/11)

There is no tsunami threat to Hawaii following a 7.5 magnitude quake near the Vanuatu Islands, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The quake occurred at 6:55 a.m. on Saturday, August, 20, 2011 (Time at the epicenter: 3:55 a.m. Sunday, August 21, 2011).

The earthquake was centered 38 miles SSW of PORT-VILA, 118 miles NW of Isangel, 198 miles SSE of Santo (Luganville)and 1151 miles ENE of Brisbane, Australia.