Tsunami warning axed after Vanuatu quake

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake has struck about 535km southeast of the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, briefly triggering a tsunami warning which was later cancelled.

There were no initial reports of casualties or damage, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) issued a warning for areas close to the quake, although there was no Pacific-wide threat of a tsunami, the Hawaii-based centre said. The shallow quake was measured at a depth of about 10km.

The quake initially registered with a magnitude of 7.6 but was later downgraded. The tsunami warning, which had included coastal areas of Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji, including the Fijian capital, Suva, but was later cancelled by the PTWC after a review.

The powerful quake triggered at least one aftershock, with a magnitude of 5.4, the USGS said.