Los Angeles, May 28: The United States issued a tsunami warning for areas of the South Pacific including the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia today after a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the area near Vanuatu.
The quake at 1714 GMT (2244 IST) was centered 215 kilometres northwest of the island of Espiritu Santo of Vanuatu, or 2,070 kilometres northeast of Brisbane, Australia, the US Geological Survey said.
The tsunami warning means coastlines near the epicentre could be subject to tidal waves within minutes. But the warning will not be expanded to other areas of the Pacific unless new data show a threat, USGS said.
–PTI