Vanuatu, New Caledonia: 7.3-magnitude earthquake rocks Pacific

A 7.3-magnitude earthquake has rocked the Pacific, sparking concerns for some of Australia’s closest neighbours.

A tsunami warning was temporarliy issued for the island nations of Vanuatu and New Caledonia after an earthquake rocked the South Pacific on Thursday evening.

The quake hit at a depth of 48 kilometres about 123 kilometres south of the town of Isangel on one of Vanuatu’s southernmost islands and 338 kilometres from its capital, Port Vila, according to the United States Geological Survey.

It measured 7.3-magnitude on the Richter scale.

The tsunami warning was later rescinded after the threat passed.

The earthquake. Picture: United States Geological Survey.

Both Vanuatu and its closest neighbour, New Caledonia, the latter an overseas territory of France, are located some 3200 kilometres east of Australia.

“Hazardous waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 kilometres of the epicentre along the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said when it fiorst issued the warning.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

The islands are about 3000km from Australia. Picture: United States Geological Survey.

Earthquakes are common in Vanuatu, a low-lying archipelago of 320,000 people that straddles the seismic “Ring of Fire”.

The Ring of Fire is an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Vanuatu is ranked as one of the countries most susceptible to natural disasters such as earthquakes, storm damage, flooding and tsunamis, according to the annual World Risk Report.

Earthquake kills pregnant woman

On Saturday a pregnant woman was killed after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit the Philippines’ second-largest island of Mindanao.

The quake was followed by four aftershocks that measured 6.0 and triggered tsunami warnings that were later lifted.

Residents of coastal areas were told to evacuate to higher ground after the first earthquake at around 22:37 local time.

Residents rest on a roadside serving as temporary shelter as they experience frequent aftershocks at a village in the Hinatuan town after a 7.6 earthquake struck the province. (Photo by AFP)

People in several towns not far from the quake’s epicentre were seen rushing out of buildings and staying in open areas.

In Butuan City, patients were evacuated from a hospital.

In Japan, northeast of the Philippines, tsunami waves of up to 0.4m (1.3ft) were later observed on some outlying islands.

The pregnant woman died after she was hit by a concrete wall after she fled her home in Tagum city in Davao del Norte province.

— With AFP.