Magnitude 6 Quake Strikes Off Australia's Norfolk Island – USGS

06:20 GMT, 6 December 2018

CC BY-SA 2.0 / Bob Hall / Norfolk Island

The reports about the earthquake on Australia’s external territory come a day after a massive 7.6 underwater quake had stricken near the French Overseas territory of New Caledonia and was followed by a series of aftershocks and a tsunami warning.

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According to the United States Geological Survey, the 6.0 magnitude earthquake rattled northeast of Norfolk Island that sits 1,412 kilometres (877 miles) due east of mainland Australia's Evans Head.

The tremors were registered at a depth of 10 km and about 681 km northeast of the island. There was no immediate tsunami warning and no reports of damage or casualties following the earthquake.

Norfolk Island

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This comes a day after a 7 magnitude quake hit off France's New Caledonia, prompting evacuations and a tsunami warning there. The major strike was followed by aftershocks.

Norfolk Island is located near the so-called “Pacific Rim” or “Ring of Fire”, a major area in the Pacific Ocean where a lot of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions take place.