Magnitude 7.7 earthquake recorded in southeastern New Caledonia, tsunami warning triggered

A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred on Friday, May 19, in the Pacific Ocean southeast of New Caledonia, announced American Institute of Geophysics (USGS). The tremor was detected at a depth of 37 kilometers. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center estimated that a tidal wave was “possible” within a radius of 1,000 km around the epicentre.

“Based on preliminary earthquake parameters, dangerous tsunami waves are possible on coasts within 1,000 km of the earthquake epicenter”, details the center in a bulletin. It invites the inhabitants of threatened coastal areas to remain vigilant. The civil security of New Caledonia has called on the population to get to safety and reach the heights, report our colleagues from New Caledonia La 1ère.

The first earthquake of magnitude 7.7 was recorded at 1:57 p.m. (4:57 a.m. in Paris), according to the USGS. Four others, of magnitude 5.1 to 5.9, were detected in the following hour in the same region.