Earthquake

Strong quake hits Iraq-Iran border region

It struck 32km (20mi) south-west of the Iraqi town of Halabja, the USGS said.

Iranian state media said it was felt in several provinces, with eight villages damaged and electricity cut.

Kurdish TV also said many people in Iraqi Kurdistan fled their homes when it struck but there were no initial reports of casualties.

The earthquake struck just before 21:20 local time in Baghdad (18:20 GMT) at a depth of 33.9 km.

     

Infrastructure concerns in Solomons after latest quakeInfrastructure concerns in Solomons after latest quake

Another powerful quake struck near Kirakira this morning - a 6.7 magnitude quake at a depth of 33km.

The undersea quake hit 71km west of the city of Kirakira, which is on the country's biggest island, Makira.

Director of the National Disaster Management Office Loti Yates said there was no tsunami threat from this morning's quake but he was expecting more reports of damage.

Mr Yates said multiple quakes of magnitude 5 and above have hampered relief operations still underway in the Makira area.

Magnitude-6.9 earthquake hits near Fiji, prompting evacuations, causing power cuts

The USGS said the quake was at a depth of 15.2 kilometres and an aftershock measuring magnitude-5.7 had also been recorded.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has withdrawn a tsunami warning for parts of the Pacific located 300 kilometres from the epicentre.

Radio New Zealand reported people had been evacuating the Fijian tourist hub of Nadi since the earthquake struck.

There have been no reports of damage or injury from Fiji.

7000 affected across three provinces by Solomons' quakes

RNZ reports disaster authorities said around 200 buildings had been destroyed or damaged in the provinces of Makira & Ulawa, Malaita and Guadalcanal.

Among them were 11 schools and a medical clinic.

Some dwellings were also hit by waves generated by Friday's 7-point-8 magnitude quake and Saturday's 6-point-9 aftershock.

The country director for World Vision Solomon Islands Janes Ginting said the tremors had left communities very nervous.

Tsunami threat to the Pacific has passed

RNZ reports the quake struck at a depth of 10km, southeast of the Loyalty Islands, in New Caledonia.

A warning was issued for Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Fiji, but the Hawaii-based centre now says the threat has passed.

However, it still advised people in the area to exercise caution near the sea, as minor fluctuations can occur in coastal areas.

There have so far been no reports of damaged.

     

Deadly quake strikes off Ecuador coast

Ecuador's strongest earthquake in decades killed at least 41 people and caused damage near the epicentre as well as in the largest city of Guayaquil.

RNZI reports President Rafael Correa declared a national emergency and urged the nation's 16 million people to stay calm.

6.2 quake off Vanuatu

The US Geological Survey says the epicentre was 133 kilometres northwest of Vanuatu, and there was no tsunami warning.

It was the fourth quake to hit the region in about a week, with a 6.9-magnitude earthquake striking off Vanuatu’s Vanua Lava island last Thursday.

Another large earthquake strikes Vanuatu's north

RNZI reports the United States Geological Service said the earthquake struck 109 kilometres west of Sola, in Torba province, at a depth of 33 kilometres.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said the quake poses no tsunami threat.

Another big quake off Vanuatu's north

According to RNZI, the US Geological Survey tracked the quake as occurring near the top of Vanuatu's largest island, Esperitu Santo, or 170 kilometres north-northwest of Luganville, at a depth of 10 kilometre.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre did not issue a Pacific-wide tsunami warning.

Christchurch hit by 5.7 earthquake

Geonet reported the epicentre of the quake was centred 15km east of Christchurch at a depth of 15km.

A cliff collapsed at Whitewash Head near Sumner and engineers are assessing it to establish its stability.

There are reports of liquefaction and flooding in parts of New Brighton.