Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Off New Caledonia,Tsunami Threat Declared - Seismologists

Mohammad Ali (@ChaudhryMAli88) Published May 19, 2023 | 09:10 AM

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2023) A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit off the coast of New Caledonia Friday morning, the data of the US Geological Survey showed.

The earthquake occurred at 02:57 GMT some 448 kilometers (278 miles) away from New Caledonia's capital Noumea. The epicenter of the earthquake was at a depth of 37.7 kilometers.

A Tsunami threat warning has been declared within 1,000 kilometers of the earthquake's epicenter, according to the US National Tsunami Warning Center.

"Tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3 meters above the tide level are possible along some coasts of Vanuatu ... Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meters above the tide level are possible for some coasts of New Caledonia ... Fiji ... and New Zealand," the center said in a message.