The earthquake activity that commenced undersea between Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands overnight on the 9th and 10th of April has continued, but magnitudes have eased, and the centre of activity has drifted south.
A burst of earthquake activity located between Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands, which included one 7th magnitude and three 6th magnitude earthquakes, paused just after 4 a.m. New Zealand time on Thursday April 10th 2008. However, earthquake activity resumed just after 1 p.m. Thursday afternoon with a magnitude 5.8 event followed by a magnitude 4.9 quake just before 4:30.
On Friday, New Zealand time, a further two quakes of magnitude 4.9 and 5.1 were recorded. So far this morning, Saturday, four quakes with magnitudes between 4.9 and 5.9 have been recorded.
All but one of the recent quakes have been shallow, at depths of 35 km or less. The centre of activity has moved to the south closer to the Loyalty Islands group, with most quakes occurring 90 to 120 km south-south-west of Isangel, Tanna, Vanuatu (145 to 180 km north-east of Tadine, Loyalty Islands.)
[Compiled from data supplied by the U.S. Geological Survey and its contributing agencies.]