7.2-Magnitude Quake Hit South Of The Fiji Islands: USGS
NEW YORK, Jun 16 (NNN-XINHUA) – An earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, jolted south of the Fiji Islands at 18:06:27 GMT yesterday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The epicentre, with a depth of 167.404 km, was initially determined to be at 22.9824 degrees south latitude and 177.2075 degrees west longitude.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center said no tsunami was expected based on the depth of the quake.
On March 24 this year, a magnitude 5.6 earthquake occurred in the Fiji Islands, with a focal depth of 300 kilometers and an epicenter at 20.20 degrees south latitude and 176.35 degrees west longitude.
The Fiji Islands are located in the center of the Southwest Pacific Ocean and consist of 332 islands, 106 of which are inhabited. Most of them are volcanic islands surrounded by coral reefs, mainly Viti Levu and Vanua Island. The total land area is 18,300 square kilometers, and the water area is 1.29 million square kilometers.
The Fiji Islands have an important geographical location and are a transportation hub in the South Pacific region. Fiji straddles the eastern and western hemispheres, and the 180-degree meridian runs through it.
– NNN-XINHUA
