(Reuters) - A major undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.0 struck close to New Caledonia in the South Pacific on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.
The quake, which was at a shallow depth of 9.3 miles (15 km)below the seabed, did not trigger a tsunami, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii and the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre.The epicentre was located 73 miles (117.48 km) east of the town of Tadine, on the Loyalty Islands, part of France's New Caledonia territory.
There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.
A spokesman for the government in Noumea, the New Caledonia capital, and staff of two hotels contacted by Reuters said they did not feel the quake.
(Reporting by Sandra Maler in Washington and Sydney bureau; Editing by Leslie Adler and Michael Perry)
