7.2 quake hits Vanuatu, tsunami alert issued

Wellington (New Zealand), April 3: A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the South Pacific nation of Vanuatu on Sunday and a tsunami alert has been issued, reports said.

The quake struck 146 km north-northwest of Vanuatu on Sunday, the US Geological Survey reported.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has issued a statement that there's a possibility of a tsunami.

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology has confirmed there's no tsunami threat to Australia.

There have been no reports of damages yet.

Vanuatu is a Pacific archipelago nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It is situated some 1,750 km east of northern Australia, and is to the west of Fiji.

IANS