The US Geological Survey said late Sunday that a 7.0-magnitude earthquake occurred just off the coast of Vanuatu in the Pacific, triggering a tsunami warning for the area, reported news agency AFP. According to the USGS, the shallow earthquake struck at a depth of 27 kilometers (17 miles), approximately 25 kilometers from the village of Port-Olry.
"Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to one metre above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Vanuatu," the NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said quoted by AFP.
New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands could experience waves smaller than 0.3 meters, it added.
Vanuatu experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its location in the Pacific "Ring of Fire," where tectonic plates collide.
A powerful 7.0 earthquake struck Solomon Islands, a nearby island nation just north of Vanuatu, in November, but there were no reports of significant structural damage or serious injuries.
Witnesses said that there was a violent shaking that threw things to the ground and cut off power in parts of Honiara, the capital.
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Tsunami waves of up to 30 centimeters (12 inches) were put on alert for the coastal areas of Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea.
There are currently no reports of casualties or damage to buildings.
However, individuals have been urged to "move way from the coast and reach a higher place" right away by the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC).
Vanuatu has approximately 280,000 residents and is susceptible to natural disasters.
In addition to the regular cyclones and earthquakes, there are approximately six active volcanoes.