7.7 earthquake hits near New Caledonia; tsunami warning issued

Representative image. Credit: iStock Photo

A major 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Friday in the Pacific Ocean southeast of New Caledonia, triggering a tsunami warning, US monitoring agencies said.

The quake was detected at a depth of 37 kilometres (23 miles), the US Geological Service said.

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"Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts within 1,000 km (620 miles) of the earthquake epicentre," the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said in a bulletin.

It urged people in threatened coastal areas to be alert.

A hotel receptionist in the New Caledonia capital Noumea told AFP she felt no shaking from the tremor.