Magnitude 7.3 earthquake hits Pacific island nation of Vanuatu

Associated Press

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — The USGS says a magnitude 7.3 earthquake has struck just off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific Ocean. The quake on Tuesday occurred at a depth of 35 miles and was centered near Port Vila, the largest city in the island nation. The jolt was followed by a magnitude 5.5 aftershock at the same location. Vanuatu government websites were offline in the aftermath of the quake. The USGS later said an earlier tsunami threat had passed for Vanuatu, a group of 80 islands that is home to about 330,000 people.