Pacific tsunami: warning issued after strong earthquake hits ‘Ring of Fire’

A tsunami warning was issued after a powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook the Pacific archipelago of Vanuatu.

The earthquake was centred 15 miles from Port Olry and hit at a depth of 17 miles on Sunday, the US Geological Survey said. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued an alert for coasts within 186 miles of the epicentre – before withdrawing it hours later, saying the threat had passed.

Vanuatu is home to about 280,000 people and prone to natural disasters, with six active volcanoes and regular cyclones and earthquakes. It sits on the Pacific “Ring Of Fire” – the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanoes are common.