Powerful M7.2 earthquake strikes off coast of Vanuatu’s Espiritu Santo
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck off the western coast of Espiritu Santo island, Vanuatu, in the Pacific Ocean early Saturday, Qazinform News Agency reports, citing the Kazakhstan National Data Center.
The earthquake occurred at 7:31 a.m. Astana time (02:31 UTC) at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), according to the Institute of Geophysical Research of the National Nuclear Center of Kazakhstan.
Seismologists located the epicenter at 14.05 S, 165.52 E, recording body-wave magnitude mb=7.0.
As Xinhua reported, the quake prompted the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center to issue a tsunami warning.
No casualties or property damage have been reported so far.
On Saturday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Baqen County in Nagqu City, southwest China’s Xizang Autonomous Region, killing 16 people and injuring 46 others.