PORT VILA, VANUATU (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake struck off the Vanuatu Islands in the South Pacific Ocean on Wednesday evening, seismologists said, but few details were immediately available.

A seismologist at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the earthquake at 1137 GMT had a preliminary magnitude between 6.0 and 6.2 on the Richter scale. She said the agency was still working to determine the epicenter and the precise magnitude of the earthquake.

No tsunami warning was issued.

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