A mammoth 7.4 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Vanuatu sparking an urgent tsunami warning.
The quake struck 29km west of Port Vila on the island of Efate at a depth of 10km at 12.47pm local time, according to EMSC.
A 5.5 magnitude aftershock was recorded just minutes later.
Hazardous tsunami waves between 0.3 and one metre are forecast for the coasts of Fiji, Kermadec Islands, Kiribati, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Wallis and Futuna, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.
‘Persons located in threatened coastal areas should stay alert for information and follow instructions from national and local authorities,’ it said in a statement.
The center said impacts would vary depending on the section of coastline.
‘Impacts can also vary depending upon the state of the tide at the time of the maximum tsunami waves. Persons caught in the water of a tsunami may drown, be crushed by debris in the water or be swept out to sea.’
There is no tsunami threat to Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed.
The 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck 29km west of Port Villa on the island of Efate at a depth of 10km at 12.47pm local time (pictured)
There is no tsunami threat to Australia, the Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed
Port Vila is just under 2,000km away from Australia.
It takes just under four hours to fly to the popular holiday destination from Sydney.
More to come.
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