6.4-magnitude earthquake jolts Vanuatu

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu on Saturday afternoon local time, briefly shaking parts of the Pacific island nation.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage, officials said.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake’s epicenter was located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) west of Port Olry village on Espiritu Santo island.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that although the tremor was felt along the coast shortly after 1:30 pm local time, no tsunami warning or advisory was issued.

Local resident Angelique Frank, who works at a beachfront resort in Port Olry, described the earthquake as “very big” and said it appeared to last nearly a minute. She told AFP that while furniture and objects shook for some time, there was no visible structural damage in her immediate area.

“Some people were worried, but everything seems to be fine,” she said.

Vanuatu, home to roughly 320,000 people, is located along the Pacific Ring of Fire — a highly active seismic zone stretching across Southeast Asia and the Pacific Basin — where earthquakes are frequent.