Powerful earthquakes off Vanuatu trigger warning of tsunami

Eleven countries in south Pacific put on alert, but no immediate reports of injury or damage
Thursday 8 October 2009

A tsunami warning issued for 11 countries and territories, including the Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Fiji and Kiribati, after three powerful earthquakes struck off Vanuatu in the south Pacific was cancelled early this morning.

A tsunami watch, a lower level of alert, had been in effect as far away as Australia and New Zealand. All were cancelled about two and a half hours after the initial earthquakes struck. the rest