Powerful 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Island in South Pacific, Sparks Tsunami Warning

An earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale jolted southeast of the Loyalty Islands on Friday, triggering the possibility of hazardous tsunami waves, according to authorities. In its latest update, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake struck at 2.57 a.m., reports Xinhua news agency. The epicentre, with a depth of 37.7 km, was determined to be at 23.229 degrees south latitude and 170.694 degrees east longitude, the USGS added.