Earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hits near New Caledonia, triggers tsunami warning

Tsunami waves of one-to-three metres (six-to-nine feet) above tide are possible along some coastal areas of Vanuatu.

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Friday in the Pacific Ocean southeast of New Caledonia, triggering a tsunami warning, US monitoring agencies said.

The earthquake was detected at a depth of 37 kilometres (23 miles). (iStock)

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The quake was detected at a depth of 37 kilometres (23 miles), the US Geological Service said.

Tsunami waves of one-to-three metres (six-to-nine feet) above tide are possible along some coastal areas of Vanuatu, the Honolulu-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

It also warned of possible smaller tsunami waves of 0.3-1.0 metres in New Caledonia, Fiji, Kiribati and New Zealand.

A hotel receptionist in the New Caledonia capital Noumea told AFP she felt no shaking from the tremor.

A travel agent on the island of Ile des Pins on the eastern edge of the New Caledonia archipelago said she had not felt the tremor or heard any evacuation warning.

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"Everybody is still on the beach and in the restaurants," she said.