Powerful 6.1-magnitude quake strikes Vanuatu: USGS
A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Vanuatu Friday, US seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
SYDNEY: A powerful 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Vanuatu Friday, US seismologists said, but there were no immediate reports of damage.
The quake struck at a depth of 21 kilometers (13 miles) some 30 kilometers west of the capital Port Vila, the US Geological Survey said.
USGS said there was low likelihood of casualties and damage although it added that recent earthquakes in the area had caused secondary hazards such as landslides.
People in the region live in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, USGS said, although some resistant buildings exist.
Vanuatu, with a population of about 280,000 spread over 65 inhabited islands, is regarded as one of the world´s most disaster-prone countries.
It sits on the so-called "Pacific Rim of Fire," making it vulnerable to strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, while powerful cyclones also regularly lash the islands.
-
Lenore Taylor resigns as Guardian Australia editor after decade-long tenure -
Epstein case: Ghislaine Maxwell invokes Fifth, refuses to testify before US Congress -
Savannah Guthrie receives massive support from Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Garner after desperate plea -
Trump nears 500 press interactions in his second term, surpassing former President Biden -
Snow forecast warns of reduced visibility and travel risks in Ontario -
Casey Wasserman says he ‘deeply regrets’ Ghislaine Maxwell emails after DOJ file release -
Gordie Howe Bridge faces uncertainty after Trump warning to Canada -
Air Canada’s flights to Cuba halted as aviation fuel crisis worsens