Australia issues tsunami warning for Lord Howe Island after 7.7 magnitude earthquake

The BOM warned that the waters around Lord Howe Island could see rip currents - strong currents of water flowing from the shore towards the sea - and large waves and currents that could reach the shore after 4:15 p.m. local time and last for several hours. The BOM said evacuation was not currently necessary, but advised people to stay away from coastal areas. The agency also noted that a tsunami of 8 centimeters was recorded in New Caledonia.

Meanwhile, authorities in New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu have lifted tsunami warnings issued earlier in the day. According to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center, the latest data shows that the tsunami risk from the earthquake is no longer present.

Previously, the Vanuatu government asked people to evacuate coastal areas with an elevation of less than 12 meters above sea level, and to keep a minimum distance of 300 meters.

The 7.7-magnitude quake struck at around 02:57 GMT (09:57 Vietnam time) at a depth of about 38 km. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for New Caledonia, Fiji and Vanuatu, and assessed that tsunami waves could hit coastal areas within 1,000 km of the epicenter. Meteorological agencies are concerned that strong tsunami waves could occur along the coasts of Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji, as well as Australia's Lord Howe Island.

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