Magnitude 6.3 earthquake strikes South Pacific; no tsunami threat

A magnitude 6.3 earthquake has struck the South Pacific Ocean, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). No tsunami warnings were issued.

The earthquake occurred at 12:29 a.m. UTC on Wednesday, with an epicenter located in the Pacific-Antarctic Ridge, according to USGS data. It struck at a preliminary depth of 6.2 miles (10 kilometers).

The location of the earthquake was far from any populated areas, with Waitangi in New Zealand’s Chatham Islands being the closest settlement—more than 1,700 miles (2,760 kilometers) away. According to the USGS, no population was expected to have felt the tremor.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) did not issue a tsunami warning, likely because the earthquake did not have the necessary characteristics, including strength, to warrant an alert or advisory.

The region lies along the so-called “Pacific Ring of Fire,” an area known for frequent tectonic activity, including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The latest earthquake comes just days after a catastrophic magnitude 7.7 earthquake devastated Myanmar, killing thousands and crippling infrastructure across the region.

It also follows a magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck near the island nation of Tonga, where a tsunami warning was briefly issued, and a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in the central Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which also occurred far from land. The earthquakes are not related and are part of regular seismic activity around the globe.