NORTH PENTECOST, Penama Province — A 6.3 magnitude quake hit near Norsup on Thursday evening, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor slammed at 09:00 UTC (20:00 local time), with its epicenter roughly 102 km northeast of Norsup and a depth of 10 km. Seismologists first reported it as a 6.6 event, but later downgraded it to 6.3.

Did you feel it?

Those who felt the earthquake are encouraged to report it via the USGS Felt Report form. So far, the agency has collected 4 online responses from people reporting they felt weak shaking. The USGS DYFI report indicates that several residents in and around the Luganville area experienced the quake.

Impact and estimated losses

The USGS categorized this as a Green Alert, which means there is a low likelihood of casualties and damage. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unknown/miscellaneous types and wood construction.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey