Tsunami Warnings Issued After Massive 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Wednesday Morning

NEW CALEDONIA. (THECOUNT) — Tsunami warnings have been issued for multiple areas after a large 7.7 earthquake struck Wednesday morning near the Loyalty Islands Province, a subdivision of New Caledonia, according to USGS.

The Loyalty Islands Province is one of three administrative subdivisions of New Caledonia encompassing the Loyalty Island archipelago in the Pacific, which are located northeast of the New Caledonian mainland of Grande Terre, according to Wikipedia.

New Caledonia is a French territory comprising dozens of islands in the South Pacific. It’s known for its palm-lined beaches and marine-life-rich lagoon, which, at 24,000-sq.-km, is among the world’s largest. A massive barrier reef surrounds the main island, Grand Terre, a major scuba-diving destination. The capital, Nouméa, is home to French-influenced restaurants and luxury boutiques selling Parisian fashions.

The following is the Tsunami threat to multiple area issued by tsunami.gov:

TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST…UPDATED
———————————

* TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 0.3 TO 1 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL
ARE POSSIBLE FOR SOME COASTS OF

FIJI… NEW ZEALAND… AND VANUATU.

* TSUNAMI WAVES ARE FORECAST TO BE LESS THAN 0.3 METERS ABOVE
THE TIDE LEVEL FOR THE COASTS OF

AMERICAN SAMOA… AUSTRALIA… CHUUK… COOK ISLANDS…
FRENCH POLYNESIA… HOWLAND AND BAKER… JARVIS ISLAND…
KERMADEC ISLANDS… KIRIBATI… KOSRAE… MARSHALL
ISLANDS… NAURU… NEW CALEDONIA… NIUE… PALMYRA
ISLAND… PAPUA NEW GUINEA… POHNPEI… SAMOA… SOLOMON
ISLANDS… TOKELAU… TONGA… TUVALU… AND WALLIS AND
FUTUNA.
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TSUNAMI THREAT FORECAST…UPDATED
———————————

* TSUNAMI WAVES REACHING 0.3 TO 1 METERS ABOVE THE TIDE LEVEL
ARE POSSIBLE FOR SOME COASTS OF

FIJI… NEW ZEALAND… AND VANUATU.

* TSUNAMI WAVES ARE FORECAST TO BE LESS THAN 0.3 METERS ABOVE
THE TIDE LEVEL FOR THE COASTS OF

AMERICAN SAMOA… AUSTRALIA… CHUUK… COOK ISLANDS…
FRENCH POLYNESIA… HOWLAND AND BAKER… JARVIS ISLAND…
KERMADEC ISLANDS… KIRIBATI… KOSRAE… MARSHALL
ISLANDS… NAURU… NEW CALEDONIA… NIUE… PALMYRA
ISLAND… PAPUA NEW GUINEA… POHNPEI… SAMOA… SOLOMON
ISLANDS… TOKELAU… TONGA… TUVALU… AND WALLIS AND
FUTUNA.

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