Magnitude 6.6 earthquake strikes Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia; no tsunami threat
The USGS registered a magnitude 6.6 earthquake off New Caledonia's Loyalty Islands late on Friday 25 September, after early estimates put it at 7.0. Tsunami centres found no threat; no casualties or damage reported.
A strong and shallow earthquake of magnitude 6.6 struck off the Loyalty Islands of New Caledonia late on Friday 25 September, the US Geological Survey said, after early estimates had put the quake at magnitude 7.0.
The USGS placed the epicentre about 81 kilometres east-north-east of Tadine, in the Loyalty Islands region, at 21:23 UTC, at a depth of about 10 kilometres. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre reported the same magnitude and a similar shallow focus.
The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center assessed the event and found no tsunami threat, according to its 21:30 UTC message. The US Tsunami Warning System also determined there was no threat to Hawaii, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands or American Samoa. No casualties or damage had been reported in early accounts, and New Caledonian authorities and regional agencies were continuing to monitor.
A magnitude 5.5 aftershock was registered at 23:39 UTC on 25 September about 61 kilometres east-north-east of Tadine, the USGS said, with a green alert indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage.
New Caledonia sits along the boundary between the Australian and Pacific tectonic plates, a region known for frequent moderate to strong seismic activity.
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