Tsunami risk after powerful 7.5 earthquake strikes Pacific Ocean

A powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake has prompted a tsunami threat warning for tiny islands in the south Pacific Ocean.

After the quake shook near New Caledonia, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said tsunami waves of between 3ft and 10ft were possible along some coasts of New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Meanwhile, waves of up to 3ft were possible in Fiji.

The quake struck about 104 miles east of Tadine in New Caledonia at a shallow depth of six miles, according to the US Geological Survey.

Earthquakes are generally more destructive when the epicentre is near the surface.

At least five aftershocks also hit, ranging in magnitude from 5.6 to 6.0, prompting nearby buildings to be evacuated.

New Caledonia is situated on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, which is an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where the majority of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic activity occur.

Dan McGarry, the media director at the Vanuatu Daily Post, said he heard only of three small wave surges hitting the southern island of Aneityum.

Mr McGarry said he felt the quake where he is based in Vanuatu’s capital, Port Vila, as a mild shaking.

“We get a lot of earthquakes every year,” he said.

“The tsunami warning was what was different this time, though.”

He said the waves travelled only a couple of meters beyond the normal tidal waves, and that everybody was fine on the island.

The warning centre said there was no threat to Hawaii.