6.9 Quake Strikes Off Vanuatu

A strong earthquake has struck off the coast of the South Pacific Ocean island nation of Vanuatu, but there are no reports of a tsunami or serious damage.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the 6.9 magnitude quake struck Sunday 80 kilometers north of Port-Olry, Vanuatu at a depth of 35 kilometers.

The USGS revised the magnitude down from an earlier report of 7.2.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there is a possibility of tsunamis, but no warning has yet been issued.

Vanuatu sits on what is known as the Ring of Fire consisting of an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where quakes are common.

On March 13, 2015, Cyclone Pam struck the island chain with winds of up to 270 kilometers per hour. More than a dozen people were killed and in the capital, Port Vila, more than 80 percent of homes were partially or completely destroyed by the cyclone.

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