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Earthquake Summary
Tectonic Summary
The Torres Islands, Vanuatu earthquake of October 7, 2009, occurred on or near the plate boundary between the Australia and Pacific plates. In the region of the earthquake, the Australia plate moves to the east-northeast with respect to the Pacific plate at a velocity of about 91 mm/year. The Australia plate thrusts under the Pacific plate at the New Hebrides trench and dips to the east-northeast. The October 7 earthquakes location, depth, and focal mechanism are consistent with the earthquake having occurred as thrust-faulting associated with subduction along the Australia-Pacific plate boundary.
The Vanuatu region experiences a very high level of earthquake activity, with over a dozen events of magnitude 7 and larger having been recorded since the early decades of the twentieth century. The subducting Australia plate is seismically active to depths of about 350 km beneath the islands.
Recent large earthquakes near the October 7 event include a M 7.2 earthquake in 2007 and a M 7.3 earthquake in 1999.
Tsunami Information
Location of Vanuatu within the South PacificAccording to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the Vanuatu region in the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday. The quake was followed by a large aftershock with a magnitude of 7.3.

So far there are no reports of damage or injuries.

Both of the quakes' epicenters were centered roughly 373 kilometres northwest of the Vanuatu city of Santu, at a depth of 33 kilometres.

Vanuatu was placed under a tsunami warning after the earthquake started, however, it has since been removed, as the tremors managed to produce only small waves.

The earthquake comes a week after another heavy tremor caused tsunamis in the South Pacific. That quake killed 170 people on the islands of Tonga, Samoa, and American Samoa.