Sydney –
A magnitude (m) 7.0 earthquake struck off the coast of the peaceful nation of Vanuatu Sunday evening local time. The earthquake had triggered a tsunami warning for the area.
The shallow earthquake that shook Vanuatu occurred around 11.30pm local time, reported by AFP on Sunday (8/1/2023). The earthquake’s epicenter was at a depth of about 27 kilometers (17 miles), which places it about 25 kilometers from the village of Port-Olry.
Tsunami warnings were issued for Vanuatu, New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands but were canceled about an hour and a half after the earthquake.
“Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to one meter above high water levels are possible off some coasts of Vanuatu,” said the NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.
“Waves smaller than 0.3 meters are possible in New Caledonia and the Solomon Islands,” he added.
The French embassy in Vanuatu in a Facebook post advised people to stay away from the beach. Residents reported on social media that there had been damage.
“The big one!!” a person posted on Facebook. “A lot of broken things around.”
New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency said there was no threat of a tsunami in the country.
Vanuatu is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates collide and experience frequent seismic and volcanic activity.
The Solomon Islands, an island nation north of Vanuatu, was hit by a magnitude 7.0 earthquake in November last year, though no serious injuries or major structural damage were reported.
In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi left more than 4,300 dead or missing.
According to the annual World Risk Report, Vanuatu is ranked as one of the most vulnerable countries to natural disasters such as earthquakes, storm damage, floods, and tsunamis.
(fas/fas)
