A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in the Pacific Ocean can cause a tsunami

near the archipelago of New Caledonia in the Pacific Ocean Violent earthquake Grant. The US seismologist, the US Geological Survey, estimated the strength of Friday at 7.7. The USA Early Warning System has issued a tsunami warning – for New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Fiji, among others. Initially, there was talk of a tsunami with meter-high waves, but now a moderate course looks more likely: From a Vanuatu perspective, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquake could trigger waves up to one meter above the tide. and carrots. – Previously, waves of up to three meters were expected.

“An earthquake of this magnitude can trigger a devastating tsunami that can hit coasts near the epicenter within minutes and distant coasts within hours,” Vanuatu officials said. Residents across the archipelago have been advised to take immediate precautionary measures and away from coastal areas To move to higher areas.

I got to New Zealand in about an hour

Also in New Caledonia, people have been told to leave coastal areas. New Zealand’s emergency agency wrote on Twitter that it was monitoring the situation closely. “If a tsunami were to happen, it would probably take at least an hour to reach New Zealand.”

According to the latest information, the earthquake occurred 37 kilometers below the surface of the southeast of the Loyalty Islands, which are part of French overseas territories New Caledonia. Initially, the USGS spoke of a depth of only ten kilometers. The epicenter was in southwest Fiji, northern New Zealand, and eastern Australia, where the Coral Sea meets the Pacific Ocean. A tsunami is expected within a radius of 1,000 kilometers from the epicenter, according to the Pacific Warning Center.

Update follows…

(DPA/Roy)View comments