The earthquake’s epicenter was near Port Vila, Vanuatu’s largest city.
A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck near the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), The New Zealand Herald reports.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 57 kilometers, with its epicenter close to Port Vila, the largest city in Vanuatu. A strong aftershock with a magnitude of 5.5 followed shortly after the initial quake. Government websites in Vanuatu were temporarily down following the event.
The USGS issued a tsunami advisory for coastal areas within 300 kilometers of the epicenter. Vanuatu, an island nation consisting of 80 islands, has a population of approximately 330,000 people.
The earthquake caused damage to buildings in Port Vila, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or injuries.
