New Caledonia has ordered coastal areas to evacuate after tsunami waves were observed following a massive earthquake southeast of the Loyalty Islands on Wednesday.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) confirmed that tsunami waves reaching one to three metres above tide level were possible for some coasts of New Caledonia and Vanuatu.
Smaller waves of 0.3 to one metres were possible for Fiji.
The warnings follow a 7.6-magnitude, 10km-deep earthquake at 5:18pm on Wednesday night (NZ time).
The tsunamis' estimated time of arrival according to the PTWC was 6:25pm for New Caledonia, 6:39pm for Vanuatu, and 7:04pm for Fiji (all NZ time).
At 8:30pm, PTWC advised the tsunami threat had largely passed.
While people on all coasts were initially warned to evacuate, the Directorate for Civil Protection and Risk Management of New Caledonia later downgraded the warning, saying evacuation was not required for the west coast, reports The Guardian.
Authorities asked people to move to locations more than 300 metres from the shore.
The Consul General of New Zealand in Noumea confirmed they felt a quake and a tsunami alert had been in effect.
"We have this confirmation from civil defence, and have been told it will be affecting the east coast of New Caledonia."
No tsunami warning is in place for New Zealand.
Newshub.
