Australia: A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck the Pacific Ocean southeast of New Caledonia, leading to the issuance of a tsunami warning by US monitoring agencies. US Geological Service Reports Depth of 37KM for New Caledonia Earthquake.

“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts within 1,000KM (620 miles) of the earthquake epicentre,” the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) said in a bulletin.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) has advised individuals in coastal areas at risk to remain vigilant. The PTWC has indicated that waves as high as 3 meters (10 feet) above normal tides could potentially occur in Vanuatu. Meanwhile, smaller waves are expected for Fiji, New Caledonia, Kiribati, and New Zealand.

As per an information bulletin on the website of the National Disaster Management Office, people have been advised to take necessary action and precautionary measures, which include immediate evacuation from coastal areas to higher ground.

While Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology has stated that there is no tsunami threat to mainland Australia, Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea, situated 780KM (421 nautical miles) northeast of Sydney, remains under a threat warning.

We have issued a NATIONAL ADVISORY: TSUNAMI ACTIVITY following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake SOUTHEAST OF LOYALTY ISLANDS. We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore

— National Emergency Management Agency (@NZcivildefence) May 19, 2023

According to New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency, coastal areas may experience strong and unusual currents and surges due to the tsunami activity. However, evacuation is not required as there is no anticipated inundation.

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