7.5 magnitude quake strikes off Vanuatu: USGS

A major 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Saturday night, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning issued.

A major 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Saturday night, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no immediate tsunami warning issued.

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The quake struck at 2225 IST at a depth of 40 kilometres, around 60 kilometres south of Port Vila, the capital of the island nation.

There was no tsunami warning in effect on the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center website and there were no immediate reports of damage.

Minutes after the first quake a second smaller 5.9-magnitude tremor was detected by seismologists.

Vanuatu lies on the so-called "Pacific Ring of Fire", a zone of frequent seismic activity caused by friction between shifting tectonic plates.