Strong earthquake hits the South Pacific Ocean, close to Vanuatu

LUGANVILLE, VANUATU (BNO NEWS) — A strong earthquake struck the South Pacific Ocean on Thursday afternoon, close to the island nation of Vanuatu, seismologists said.

The 6.2-magnitude earthquake at 4.04 p.m. local time (0504 GMT) was centered approximately 115 kilometers (75 miles) east-northeast of Luganville, a city in Vanuatu. It struck about 35.2 kilometers (21.9 miles) deep, making it a shallow earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

The agency estimated that approximately 3,000 people likely perceived ‘very strong’ shaking as a result of the earthquake, which could result in moderate to heavy damage. “Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist,” the USGS said.

It further estimated that approximately 15,000 people likely perceived strong shaking, which could potentially result in light to moderate damage. Another 161,000 people likely perceived weak to moderate shaking.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties from the earthquake.

On November 26, 1999, a major 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck approximately 129 kilometers (80 miles) south of Thursday’s earthquake, killing about 10 people.

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