[ADXA] Fw: tsunami warning has been issued for 11 nations in the south-west Pacific

[Lenny]

Rick AI5P supposed to go to YJ  Vauatu  Oct 10

>      Tsunami warning in south Pacific
>
>      A tsunami warning has been issued for 11 nations in the south-west
> Pacific, including Papua New Guinea, after a 7.8-magnitude earthquake off
> Vanuatu.
>
>      The epicentre was 295km (180 miles) north-northwest of Vanuatu's
> largest island, Santo, at a depth of 35km (21.7 miles), the US Geological
> Survey said.
>
>      There have so far been no immediate reports of injuries of damage.
>
>      More than 170 people died last week when a tsunami triggered by a
> quake hit Samoa, American Samoa and Tonga.
>
>      All three nations were included in a "tsunami watch" - a lower level
> of alert than a tsunami warning.
>
>      Earlier on Wednesday, a 6.7-magnitude quake struck off the
> Philippines, but no tsunami warning was issued.
>
>      Shortly after the earthquake off Vanuatu struck at 2203 GMT, the
> Pacific Region Headquarters of the US National Weather Service said a
> tsunami warning was in effect for Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, 
> Papua
> New Guinea, Tuvalu, New Caledonia, Fiji, Kiribati, Kosrae, Wallis and
> Futuna, and the Howland and Baker islands.
>
>      It said it was not known if a tsunami had occurred, but an earthquake
> of that size has the potential to generate a "destructive tsunami".
>
>      Coastal evacuations
>
>      It could strike coastlines near the epicentre within minutes and more
> distant lands in hours, it added.
>
>      New Caledonian authorities were evacuating the island's eastern shore
> and Loyalty Islands, moving people to higher ground, Reuters news agency
> reported.
>
>      Residents of coastal areas of Tuvalu were also being told to move, 
> AFP
> reported.
>
>      Among the 22 countries and territories included in the tsunami watch
> were Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia.
>
>