Big quake hits islands

A POWERFUL earthquake measuring 7.3 has hit off the east coast of New Caledonia triggering a tsunami alert.

The quake struck at 9.43am, AEDT, at a shallow depth of 10km, 82km to the east of the Loyalty Islands.

There was no news on damage or casualties. However an alert from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said: “Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300km of the epicentre along the coasts of Vanuatu and New Caledonia”.