Powerful quake strikes off Vanuatu: USGS

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu today, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami warning issued.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of the South Pacific island of Vanuatu on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, but there was no tsunami warning issued.

HT Image

The quake struck just before 10am (2255 GMT Saturday) at a depth of 132 km, around 350 km southeast of the capital Port Vila.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said that there was no destructive tsunami generated.

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