Vanuatu struck by small tsunami after 7.7 magnitude earthquake in ‘ring of fire’ region

The South Pacific Ocean nation of Vanuatu was struck by small tsunami waves following a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in the far Pacific. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said waves less than 1.5 feet were measured off Lenakel- a port town in the island nation. According to the US Geological Survey, the epicentre of the earthquake was located near the Loyalty Islands, a province in the French territory of New Caledonia. The site is southwest of Fiji, north of New Zealand and east of Australia where the Coral Sea meets the Pacific. The threat of a tsunami has largely passed and alerts regarding the same were lifted in the region.

Vanuatu's National Disaster Management Office advised people to evacuate coastal areas and rush to safety at higher altitudes. The authorities also urged people to listen to radios for updates and further advisories.

Strong currents recorded in several Pacific nations

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Not just Vanuatu, strong and unusual currents were faced by several Pacific nations such as Fiji, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea and Guam. New Zealand is also expected to face strong waves in its coastal areas, according to the country’s National Emergency Management Agency.

Why Pacific Ocean is prone to earthquakes?

A large part of the Pacific Ocean is a part of the ‘ring of fire’, a term used to describe an area where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur. It is a direct result of plate tectonics and the movement and interaction of several tectonic plates.

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The Pacific Ocean is surrounded by several tectonic plates, including the Pacific Plate, the North American Plate, the Eurasian Plate, the Philippine Sea Plate, and others. The Ring of Fire encompasses the subduction zones, where oceanic plates are forced beneath the continental plates or other oceanic plates during the process of plate convergence. This subduction process leads to the formation of deep ocean trenches and volcanic activity.

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In addition to earthquakes, volcanic activity is also common in the ‘ring of fire’. As the oceanic plate subducts beneath the continental plate, the intense heat and pressure cause the mantle to partially melt, forming magma. This magma rises to the surface, resulting in volcanic eruptions and the formation of volcanic arcs, such as the Andes in South America, the Cascades in North America, and the Japanese archipelago.

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