6.6 magnitude Pacific quake, no tsunami threat: US geologists

A powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck today off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, but US geologists said it was too deep to cause a tsunami.

A powerful 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck today off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific, but US geologists said it was too deep to cause a tsunami.

The US Geological Survey said the quake struck at 1603 GMT about 37 kilometres (23 miles) west of Sola, Vanuatu.

The National Tsunami Warning Centre in Palmer, Alaska said that the New Year's Day temblor, with a depth of 195 kilometres, was "located too deep within the earth" to generate a sizeable tidal wave.