Powerful 6.9-magnitude earthquake strikes the South Pacific after initially being reported at 7.2.
A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific on Saturday afternoon, triggering an initial tsunami alert for nearby coastal communities.
The earthquake occurred at approximately 1:31 pm local time, around 200 kilometres west of Sola, at a depth of just 10 kilometres beneath the ocean floor.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially reported a magnitude of 7.2 and warned that potentially dangerous tsunami waves could affect coastlines within 300 kilometres of the epicentre.
However, following further analysis, the earthquake’s magnitude was revised to 6.9, and the tsunami threat was officially declared over.
In its final bulletin, issued at 2:28 pm Vanuatu time, the warning centre confirmed that the danger had passed, although minor fluctuations in sea levels could still occur near the affected area.
There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage.
No tsunami threat has been identified for Australia or New Zealand.
Vanuatu lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most seismically active regions, where earthquakes and volcanic activity are frequent.
Authorities continue to assess the situation and monitor possible aftershocks.