7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Hits New Caledonia, Triggers Tsunami Warning

International

oi-Deepika S

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific Ocean southeast of New Caledonia, triggering a tsunami warning, said the United States Geological Survey (USGS) on Friday. No immediate reports of damage have surfaced so far.

US monitoring agency said the quake hit at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles).

It triggered a warning of a possible tsunami for the areas of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Vanuatu, it added.

“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts within 1,000 km (620 miles) of the earthquake epicenter,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in an alert.

The Tsunami warning agency urged people in threatened coastal areas to be alert.

Meanwhile, New Zealand issued tsunami alert following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake near the Loyalty Islands.

“We have issued a national advisory: Tsunami activity following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake near the Loyalty Islands. We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore,” tweeted New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency.

We are assessing whether the M7.7 SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS earthquake poses any tsunami threat to New Zealand. If a tsunami has been generated it is not likely to arrive in New Zealand for at least 1 hour hours.

— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) May 19, 2023