SYDNEY: A tsunami warning has been issued for Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake below the Pacific seabed, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said on Saturday. “A tsunami warning is in effect for Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji. An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami,” the Center said in a statement. “Authorities in the region should take appropriate action in response to this possibility.” The quake occured at a depth of 33 kms off Vanuatu. The epicentre was 135 kilometres west of Isangel, on the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, and 200 kilometres north of Tadine in the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. The quake struck at 12:16am Sunday local time (1316 GMT Saturday).There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Vanuatu, which lies between Fiji and Australia and north of New Zealand, is in the “Pacific Ring of Fire” known for its seismic and volcanic activity caused by moving plates in the Earth's crust.
