A strong earthquake of magnitude 7.1 occurred this Thursday off Vanuatu and activated a warning of tsunami in the Pacific Ocean, which has since been deactivated.
“Dangerous tsunamis caused by this earthquake are possible within a radius of 300 kilometers from the epicenter, along the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia,” the Pacific warning center warned in the first hour after of the earthquake.
The earthquake occurred at 11:56 p.m. local time (12:56 p.m. in Lisbon) at a depth of 48 kilometers.
The epicenter was located 123 kilometers south of Isangel, Vanuatu, and 204 kilometers east of Wé, New Caledonia, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
There were no immediate reports of possible casualties or damage.
“One tsunami It is a series of waves. The time between wave crests can vary from five minutes to an hour. The danger may persist for many hours or longer after the initial wave,” according to the Honolulu warning center.
The same center recommended that government agencies responsible for threatened coastal areas take measures to inform and educate local populations.
“People located in threatened coastal areas should remain alert and follow the instructions of national and local authorities,” he added.
Source: TSF
