Vanuatu: Pacific nation reels from twin cyclones and earthquake

"The Pacific nation of Vanuatu has declared a state of emergency as it reels from an earthquake and two cyclones in as many days.
The 6.5 magnitude quake struck on Friday, a day after category four Cyclone Judy swept through the islands.
The storm caused widespread damage and flooding across the country. No casualties have been reported yet.
A category three storm, Cyclone Kevin, arrived on Friday, bringing destructive winds of up to 130km/h (81mph)."

I'm trying to find out a bit more - but will be interested if anyone can add information here. We lived there for several years.
Roger

---

In fact, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the only correlation that’s been noted between earthquakes and weather is that large changes in atmospheric pressure caused by major storms like hurricanes have been shown to occasionally trigger what are known as “slow earthquakes,” which release energy over comparatively long periods of time and don’t result in ground shaking like traditional earthquakes do. They note that while such large low-pressure changes could potentially be a contributor to triggering a damaging earthquake, “the numbers are small and are not statistically significant.”

https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2926/can-climate-affect-earthquakes-or-are-the-connections-shaky/ 

This theory was popular in the 1990s but doesn't seem to have developed since, probably because earthquakes are quite able to let fly on their own account and only occasionally need a trigger.

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14419531-400-earthquake-theory-up-in-the-air/ 


 

---

My mate in Australia - who used to live with us in Vanuatu - comments: "There doesn’t seem to be much in the news about Vanuatu it’s all about NZ and their problems with earthquakes and cyclones..."

---

You know more Roger that what I've gleaned.

There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Lopevi, Mount Yasur and several underwater volcanoes. Volcanic activity is common, with an ever-present danger of a major eruption; a nearby undersea eruption of 6.4 magnitude occurred in November 2008 with no casualties, and an eruption occurred in 1945. 

Vanuatu has relatively frequent earthquakes. Of the 58 M7 or greater events that occurred between 1909 and 2001, few were studied.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanuatu​​​​​​​ 


 

---

The last time I heard it mentioned on the news here was way back when it was changing from the New Hebrides 
Often an answer on Pointless though.

---

Vanuatu braces for second major cyclone in two days, as northern province hit by earthquake

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-03/vanuatu-cyclone-kevin-earthquake-hits-north/102049550 

Tropical Cyclone Kevin brings destructive winds and heavy rain to Vanuatu's capital Port Vila

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-03-04/vanuatu-hit-by-two-quakes-two-cyclones-in-two-days/102053752 

---