Two quakes rattle South Pacific: seismologists

Two earthquakes hit the South Pacific in quick succession on Monday, US seismologists said, but there was no immediate warning of a tsunami.

Two earthquakes hit the South Pacific in quick succession on Monday, US seismologists said, but there was no immediate warning of a tsunami.

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The first, a moderate 5.2 magnitude quake, struck 288 kilometres (179 miles) northwest of Santo, followed minutes later by a strong 6.1 quake 216 kilometres southwest of Apia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The first quake struck at a depth of 35 kilometres at 0735 GMT and the second six minutes later at the same depth, according to revised notices issued by the USGS.

The Pacific is still recovering from an 8.0 magnitude earthquake and huge tsunami that crashed into Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga on September 29, wiping out villages and resorts and killing 184 people.