The US Geological Survey says a 6.7 magnitude earthquake has hit northern Vanuatu and could trigger a “small tsunami”.
The earthquake struck at a depth of 22 kilometers (14 miles) at about 3:37 pm (0447 GMT) on Wednesday, about 300 kilometers north of the capital Port Vila.
However, according to foreign reports, there is a “low probability of casualties and damage” from the shock.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said people living in coastal Vanuatu areas near the epicenter of the earthquake should “exercise vigilance and exercise general caution”.
Accordingly, the Vanuatu Department of Meteorology and Geohazards warned residents of Penama, Torba, Malampa and Sanma in the northern provinces to take “precautionary measures” such as moving from the coast to higher ground.
Earthquakes are common in Vanuatu, a low-lying archipelago of 320,000 people that straddles the Seismic Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire is an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches across Southeast Asia and across the Pacific Basin.
In April this year, seven people were killed when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake hit a jungle-covered area in Papua New Guinea.