
Quake hit 30km west of capital, Port Vila, with USGS warning that hazardous waves are possible within 300km of epicentre
An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 has struck off the coast of Vanuatu, the US Geological Survey has said, sparking a localised tsunami warning.
The quake struck 30km west of the capital, Port Vila, at a depth of 57.1km, the USGS said.
The US tsunami warning system said preliminary data suggested hazardous tsunami waves were possible within 300km of the epicentre. Vanuatu is a group of 80 islands that is home to about 330,000 people.
Unverified footage suggested the US embassy in the capital had sustained significant damage, and one witness reported a landslide on a coastal road near Port Vila.
Vanuatu government websites were offline in the aftermath of the quake and phone numbers for the police and other public agencies did not connect.