This Article is From Jan 04, 2017

Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast Of Fiji: US Geological Survey

Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Strikes Off Coast Of Fiji: US Geological Survey

The earthquake was located 175 miles (282 km) southwest Fiji's capital, Suva.

SYDNEY: A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck off the island nation of Fiji on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The quake, which struck at 10:52 a.m. (2152 GMT on Tuesday), was located 175 miles (282 km) southwest Fiji's capital, Suva, at a shallow depth of 9.4 miles (15 km), the USGS said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a local tsunami warning and said that hazardous tsunami waves were possible and could strike the coastline of Fiji by 11:45 a.m. (2245 GMT on Tuesday).

"We felt it ever so slightly in Suva," Sune Gudnizt, head of the United Nations' Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs told Reuters by telephone.

(Reporting by Tom Westbrook; Editing by Sandra Maler)
© Thomson Reuters 2017
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