Second earthquake strikes Pacific islands in SIX HOURS
A HUGE earthquake has rocked the Pacific islands of New Caledonia for the second time in six hours.
Ring of Fire: Tectonic movements produce 90% earthquakes
The magnitude 6.6 quake struck 42 miles from Nadine in the Loyalty Islands.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the tremors were reported at 3.09pm GMT.
They were picked up at a depth of 20.7km.
So far there are no reports of any injuries or damage.
It comes soon after a 6.4 magnitude tremor struck the same area at 9.25am GMT this morning.
Scientists have warned the Earth is particularly at risk of a series of devastating earthquakes over the coming year.
The phenomenon could be caused by the Earth’s rotation speed slowing down in 2018.
New Caledonia, a territory of France, is popular with tourists for its stunning beaches and coral reefs.
It lies in the western Pacific’s Coral Sea, east of Australia.
The islands are located in the Ring of Fire, named due to volcanoes that circle the Pacific Ocean.
They are an earthquake hotspot, with around 90 per cent of the globe’s quakes taking place in the basin.