PAGER - M 5.5 - VANUATU
Alert Version: 1Sunday, November 8th, 2009 at 15:46:09 UTCLocation: 16° S, 167.9° EDepth: 179kmEvent Id: US2009NTAWCreated: 2 hours, 10 minutes after earthquake.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. On November 26, 1999 (UTC), a magnitude 7.4 earthquake 53 km Southeast of this one struck Vanuatu, with estimated population exposures of 5,000 at intensity VIII and 32,000 at intensity VII, resulting in an estimated 10 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. On November 26, 1999 (UTC), a magnitude 7.4 earthquake 53 km Southeast of this one struck Vanuatu, with estimated population exposures of 5,000 at intensity VIII and 32,000 at intensity VII, resulting in an estimated 10 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.
Exposure Summary
Estimated Population Exposed to Earthquake Shaking
| Est. Modified Mercalli Intensity | Est. Population Exposure | Perceived Shaking | Potential Structure Damage | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resistant | Vulnerable | |||
| X | 0 | Extreme | V. Heavy | V. Heavy |
| IX | 0 | Violent | Heavy | V. Heavy |
| VIII | 0 | Severe | Moderate/Heavy | Heavy |
| VII | 0 | Very Strong | Moderate | Moderate/Heavy |
| VI | 0 | Strong | Light | Moderate |
| V | 0 | Moderate | V. Light | Light |
| IV | 0 | Light | none | none |
| II-III | 144k* | Weak | none | none |
| I | --* | Not Felt | none | none |
*Estimated exposure only includes population within calculated shake map area
| Population Exposure Population per ~1 sq. km. from LandScan  | Cities Exposed
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Shaking Intensity  | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
PAGER results are generally available on the Internet within 30 minutes of the earthquake’s occurrence. However, information on the extent of shaking will be uncertain in the minutes and hours following and earthquake and typically improves as additional sensor data and reported intensities are acquired and incorporated into models of the earthquake's source. Users of PAGER estimates should account for uncertainty and always seek the most current PAGER release for any earthquake.
