A 7.2 Earthquake hits the island nation of Vanuatu, Tsunami Warning in effect
Blogged by PrimeRose.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
The quake prompted the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to issue a regional tsunami warning for Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands and New Caledonia.
"It is not known that a tsunami was generated," the Warning Center said in a bulletin. "This warning is based only on the earthquake evaluation. An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicenter within minutes to hours."
A tsunami was not expected along the California, Oregon, Washington, British Columbia or Alaska coasts, the Warning Center said.
The earthquake was 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) deep, according to the USGS. Its epicenter was located 215 kilometers (135 miles) from Luganville, Vanuatu. It struck at 4:14 a.m. Friday (1:14 p.m. Thursday ET), the USGS said.
The USGS initially classified the quake as a 7.6 magnitude, but later downgraded it.
