Magnitude 7.1 earthquake triggers brief local tsunami threat near Vanuatu
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit about 75 miles south of Isangel just after midnight Friday morning local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
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ISANGEL, Vanuatu – A strong earthquake rattled the offshore waters of the Pacific Ocean near the Vanuatu Islands Thursday, triggering a localized tsunami threat.
The magnitude 7.1 earthquake hit about 75 miles south of Isangel just before midnight Friday morning local time, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
While the quake appears to be far enough offshore to mitigate any shake-related damage, the National Weather Service’s Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) initially warned that hazardous tsunami waves could strike within about 200 miles of the epicenter.
That radius included Vanuatu and New Caledonia.
(FOX Weather)
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Any triggered waves were forecast to reach the shores within 10-40 minutes of the quake, the PTWC said. Once that time passed, the PTWC issued an update stating any further tsunami threat had passed.
So far, there are no reports that any tsunami was generated.
The PTWC had said from the start there was never any tsunami threat to any other regions, including Hawaii or the U.S. West Coast.