Tsunami threat lifted after earthquake strikes Vanuatu region

The quake was at a depth of 10km.
The quake was at a depth of 10km. Photo credit: Getty Images

A tsunami warning for the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia has passed, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System said, after an earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck the Vanuatu region on Friday.

It earlier said that hazardous tsunami waves from the earthquake were possible within 300 km of the epicenter along the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia.

The German Research Center for Geosciences (GFZ) said the magnitude of the quake was 7, which it had earlier pegged at 6.6.

The quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles), GFZ said.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the earthquake at 7.1 magnitude, with a depth of 48km.

Reuters