Wellington (SunstarTV Bureau): After a massive undersea earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck between Australia and Fiji and north of New Zealand, the US-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has issued an alert of tsunami on Wednesday night.
“Hazardous tsunami waves are forecast for some coasts. Tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meters above the tide level are possible for some coasts of Fiji, New Zealand and Vanuatu,” the Center said in a statement following the earthquake.
The epicenter, with a depth of 10 km, was initially determined to be at 23.1 degrees south latitude and 171.5 degrees east longitude.
The initial temblor was followed by at least three other earthquakes in the South Pacific region with magnitudes ranging from 5.7 to 6.1 in a span of over an hour, reports Sky News.
In an official advisory issued on Wednesday night, the New Zealand Civil Defence National Emergency Management Agency said, “We have issued a national advisory: Tsunami activity following the magnitude 7.7 earthquake near southeast of Loyalty Island. We expect New Zealand coastal areas to experience strong and unusual currents and unpredictable surges at the shore.”
