A strong 6.8-magnitude earthquake Thursday hit the South Pacific archipelago of New Caledonia, the US Geological Survey said, but there were no reports of casualties or damage.
The quake struck at 6:27 pm (0627 GMT), 417 kilometres (259 miles) east of Noumea at a depth of 51 kilometres, USGS said.
No tsunami warning was issued, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii said.
The quake caused "no damage or injuries," the emergency response centre in the French Pacific territory told AFP, adding "the tremor was barely felt" in Lifou, the biggest of the Loyalty Islands group closest to the epicentre.
The region sits on the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, where the meeting of continental plates causes high volcanic and seismic activity.
Share This Article With Planet Earth
