7.5-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Coasts of Vanuatu, New Caledonia

A 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia on Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, sparking a tsunami warning for surrounding nations.

The quake struck at just after midnight on Thursday local time (1320 GMT) about 415 kilometers east of Vao in New Caledonia at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to USGS.

"Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within the next three hours," the NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.