Tsunami panic as 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Pacific sparking evacuations and warning of ‘unpredictable surges’

THE Pacific has been hit by a 7.7 magnitude earthquake this morning sparking fears the tremors could trigger a catastrophic tsunami. Vanuatu, Fiji, New Zealand, New Caledonia and Kiribati are on high alert after the quake struck near the Loyalty Islands. AFPResidents were urged to evacuate coastal areas amid fears of a horror tsunami[/caption] It struck at a depth of around 24 miles in the area which is part of the Ring of Fire – an arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world’s earthquakes occur. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) warned waves could reach up to one meter in height along some coasts of Vanuatu. They previously suggested they may hit the shoreline at three metres tall, before downgrading the initial assessment. Smaller waves were expected in Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Guam and New Zealand’s remote Kermadec Islands. A tsunami warning was issued by the U.S. Tsunami Warning System explaining affected coasts will experience “hazardous” conditions. Vanuatu’s National Disaster Management Office urged locals to seek safety on higher ground and evacuate from coastal areas. New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency said it expected coastal areas would experience strong and unusual currents, with unpredictable surges at the shoreline.