In the Pacific Ocean, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred on Saturday east of New Caledonia. The day before, a major earthquake had struck the same region. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter was detected at a depth of 35 km and about 300 km east of the New Caledonian coast, according to the same source.
“The shaking lasted maybe two seconds, it wasn’t too big,” said Nancy Jack, manager of the beachfront Friendly Beach Bungalows hotel on Kana Island, Vanuatu. No significant waves were observed, she added. A magnitude 6.5 aftershock hit the same area minutes after the first tremor, which occurred at 12:51 p.m. local time.
“No more tsunami risk”
After issuing an alert for coasts within 300 kilometers of the epicenter, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) indicated in its latest update that there was “no longer a risk of tsunami” linked to this earthquake. The Civil Security of New Caledonia had for its part announced in a press release that “no risk of tsunami is proven” for the archipelago and that “no action of the population is required”.
A 7.7-magnitude quake in the same region on Friday sent residents living along coastlines rushing to higher places on several Pacific islands for fear of giant waves. The tsunami warning was lifted a few hours later.