Very strong M7.0 earthquake hits southeast of Loyalty Islands
A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M7.0 hit southeast of the Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia at 11:04 UTC on September 14, 2022. The agency is reporting a depth of 145 km (90 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.9 at a depth of 143 km.
The epicenter was located 203.3 km (126.3 miles) SSE of Isangel, Vanuatu, and 296 km (184 miles) E of We, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia.
1 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 47 000 light.
There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake, JTWC said.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unknown/miscellaneous types and wood construction.
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: TW/SAM, Google
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