Wednesday, August 01, 2007

QUAKE ROCKS VANUATU IN THE PACIFIC


7.2-Magnitude Quake Rocks Vanuatu
POSTED: 1:03 pm CDT August 1, 2007
UPDATED: 1:49 pm CDT August 1, 2007


The U.S. Geological Survey has reported a 7.2-magnitude earthquake striking about 50 miles southeast of the island of Vanuatu in the Pacific Ocean.

The magnitude and location may be revised when additional data and further analysis results are available, the agency said.

No reports of damage or casualties have been received by USGS.


The quake hit at 4:08 a.m. local time. It did not trigger any tsunamis around the archipelago and little damage was expected because it originated 108 miles beneath the ocean's surface, said Waverly Person, a geophysicist with the USGS National Earthquake Information Center.

The Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago of 83 islands located more than 1,000 miles east of Australia, and about 300 miles west of Fiji. It achieved independence from joint British-French control in 1980.

Vanuatu has a population of 221,506, made up of Melanesian natives, Europeans, Asians and other Pacific islanders. It's economy is based mainly on small-scale agriculture, which provides a living for 65 percent of the population. Fishing, offshore financial services, and tourism. The island had more than 60,000 visitors in 2005, according to Vanuatu official sources.

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Source: http://www.ketv.com/weather/13798968/detail.html?treets=oma&tml=oma_natlbreak&ts=T&tmi=oma_natlbreak_1_01080608012007

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