Tsunami warning for Vanuatu and New Caledonia after 7.6 magnitude earthquake (Updated)

New Caledonia on Wednesday ordered the evacuation of coastal areas following a tsunami warning, after a powerful undersea earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck off the east coast of the French territory. 

The quake was just 10 km (6 miles) deep and about 155 km (95 miles) east-southeast of the Loyalty Islands, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said.

Earlier

A major earthquake magnitude 7.5 (ml/mb) has struck on Wednesday, 168 km ESE of Tadine, New Caledonia (104 miles).

Exact time and date of earthquake 05/12/18 / 2018-12-05 04:18:08 / December 5, 2018 @ 4:18 am UTC/GMT. Exact location of event, depth 10 km, 169.4464° East, -21.9685° South. A tsunami warning has been issued near Tadine in New Caledonia.

Several aftershocks were felt.

This is a developing story.