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The South Pacific island country of Vanuatu experienced a major earth quake on November 7, 2008. According to US Geological Survey, the epicenter of 6.4 magnitude tremor was in the sea at a depth of 35 km. The earth quake occurred at about at 8.19 pm New Zealand time. Although no news of casualties or damage has been reported, the tremor is said to have shaken the capital of Vanuatu. Port Vila which is the capital city of the island country is situated at a distance of 320 km from the epicenter. Although the tremor developed at the sea, no tsunami warnings have been issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning centre.
Vanuatu is an island nation located in the South Pacific Ocean. It falls under the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'. The Ring of Fire demarcates the volcanic and earthquake prone zone from Chile in South America through Alaska and down through Vanuatu to Tonga in the South Pacific. There are several active volcanoes in Vanuatu, including Lopevi, as well as several underwater ones. Vanuatu experienced the last volcanic eruption in 1945. It is said that that Vanuatu itself evolved out of volcanic eruption. The island country is situated about 1,750 kilometres east of northern Australia.
