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Magnitude 7.2 quake strikes near Vanuatu; tsunami threat issued
The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 7.2 earthquake west of Sola, Vanuatu, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said hazardous waves were possible nearby.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck waters about 200 kilometers west of Sola, Vanuatu, at 2:31 a.m. UTC on Saturday, the U.S. Geological Survey said1,2.
USGS recorded the quake at a depth of 10 kilometers1,2. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said hazardous tsunami waves were possible for coastlines within 300 kilometers of the epicenter and identified Vanuatu as the area potentially affected1.
The warning centre gave an estimated arrival of 3:01 a.m. UTC for an initial tsunami wave at Espiritu Santo, while cautioning that actual times could differ and the first wave may not be the largest1. "Persons located in threatened coastal areas should stay alert for information and follow instructions from national and local authorities," the centre said1.
Stuff reported the USGS reading was initially automatic and that there was no immediate information about damage or injuries1. Reuters' dispatch cited the same USGS magnitude, location and depth and did not address tsunami alerts or on-the-ground effects2.
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Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes near Vanuatu
Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre threat, wave timing at Espiritu Santo, and advice to follow local authorities
Stuff reports a magnitude 7.2 quake west of Sola, a tsunami threat within 300 km of the epicenter, and no immediate damage reports.
Magnitude 7.2 earthquake strikes waters near Vanuatu, USGS says
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