A magnitude 7 tremor was detected off the Pacific island state of Vanuatu on Sunday evening, according to the United States Institute of Geophysics (USGS), triggering a tsunami warning. The earthquake occurred 27 kilometers deep, says the USGS, and 25 kilometers from the village of Port-Olry.
“A tsunami with waves between 0.3 and 1 m above sea level is possible on some coasts of Vanuatusaid the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC). The French Embassy in Vanuatu advised in a message to its nationals on Facebook to stay away from the coast.
Damage caused
In addition, residents have reported on social networks of the damage caused by the earthquake. “A standard!“, posted a person on Facebook, before clarifying:”Lots of broken things everywhere“. In New Zealand, the National Emergency Response Agency said there was no tsunami warning for the country.
Vanuatu, which is part of the “Ring of fireof the Pacific where tectonic plates collide, experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The Solomon Islands, north of Vanuatu, was hit by a powerful magnitude 7 earthquake in November 2022, which caused no casualties or serious damage.
Witnesses had nevertheless reported that the tremors had thrown televisions and other objects to the ground, while power cuts had affected the capital of the Solomon Islands, Honiara. The coastal regions of Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea had been placed on tsunami alert.