New Caledonia earthquake: 6.6 magnitude quake strikes Pacific
A LARGE earthquake has struck close to the the South Pacific islands of New Caledonia.
The quake struck this morning about 45 miles east of the Tadine, in the Loyalty Islands.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the tremor at 8:25 pm in the evening, or 9.25am 25 GMT, at a shallow depth of 13km (8 miles).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said in a statement that a destructive Pacific-wide tsunami was not expected and there was no tsunami threat to Hawaii.
The quake was initially recorded as 6.6 magnitude, but is now being reported as 6.4.
There has been no reports of damage or injuries so far.
The French territory of New Caledonia is located around 914 miles from the east coast of Australia and 979 miles north of New Zealand.
New Caledonia is popular with tourists for its beaches and coral reefs.
The islands fall within the so-called Ring of Fire, so called because of the ring of volcanoes that circle the Pacific Ocean.
Around 90 per cent of the world's earthquakes occur within the Ring of Fire basin.
It is the second earthquake to strike near New Caledonia in a month.
In October, a 6.8 magnitude quake rocked east of the region’s capital Noumea.