The magnitude 7.0 quake, which had initially been put at 7.2, was at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the United States Geological Survey.
It occurred about 5pm New Caledonia time and followed a 6.9 magnitude quake, also at the depth of 10 kilometres, 279km southeast of the Loyalty Islands about 8am.
A magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred an hour and a half after that.
