South Pacific: Tsunami advisory rescinded for Tafea Province following magnitude-7.1 earthquake near Vanuatu at around 23:56 Dec. 7 /update 3

All tsunami advisories have now been rescinded following a severe magnitude-7.1 earthquake that occurred in the South Pacific Ocean, south of Vanuatu, at around 23:56 Dec. 7. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami threat message immediately after the earthquake occurred, warning of possible tsunami waves in coastal areas of Vanuatu and New Caledonia within a 300-km (186-mile) radius of the epicenter, before issuing an update message indicating that the tsunami threat had passed as of around 00:54 Dec. 8. The Vanuatu Meteorology and Geo-Hazards Department also issued a tsunami advisory and several subsequent updates advising people in Tafea Province to take appropriate action due to the potential for imminent tsunami waves, including the immediate evacuation of coastal areas to higher ground; the final tsunami advisory was rescinded and the all-clear given at 02:55 Dec. 8. The cancellation message states that there were no reports of destructive waves being observed in southern Vanuatu, although minor sea level fluctuations were reported on Tanna Island.

The earthquake's epicenter was located around 123 km (76 miles) south of Isangel, Vanuatu. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 48 km (30 miles), and light-to-moderate shaking was probably felt in parts of southern Vanuatu and the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, some damage is possible in areas where shaking occurred. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas.

Aftershocks are likely over the coming hours and days. Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible where shaking occurred.