CATASTROPHEOCEANIA
Major earthquake hits far Pacific, triggers tsunami warning
1 hour ago1 hour ago
A 7.7 magnitude quake hit near the Loyalty Islands. Vanuatu is bracing for a tsunami, while smaller waves were possible for Fiji, New Caledonia, Kiribati and New Zealand.
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A magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit southeast of the Loyalty Islands in the French territory of New Caledonia on Friday.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake was detected at a depth of 37 kilometers (23 miles).
An 8-centimeter tsunami was observed in New Caledonia, according to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM).
Evacuation was ordered in New Caledonia’s coastal areas, a government official said. At least one beach had been evacuated, according to an AFP journalist.
The earthquake hit southwest of Fiji, north of New Zealand and east of Australia.
“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts within 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) of the earthquake epicentre,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
A marine warning was issued for Australia’s Lord Howe Island, BOM said.
A tsunami was forecast for Vanuatu, and smaller waves were forecast for Fiji, New Caledonia, Kiribati and New Zealand.
Following the earthquake, New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency issued a warning for tsunami.
“We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore,” the agency said.
More to follow on this developing story…
fb/sms (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
