Wellington: An earthquake measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale struck off the South Pacific island country of Vanuatu Friday, the US Geological Survey reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage.

The quake, which occurred at 8.19 p.m. New Zealand time (0719 GMT Friday), was centred 320 km north of the Vanuatu capital of Port Vila, at a depth of 35 km in the sea.

No tsunami warning was issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning centre.

Vanuatu is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire" - an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones stretching from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga in the South Pacific.

 

Source : ians