Tsunami alert: Massive 7.7 quake jolts Pacific

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has raised a tsunami alert following a powerful 7.7 earthquake that struck the island of New Britain in Papua New Guinea in the south-west of the Pacific.

“An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.7 occurred in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea at 12:58 UTC," the centre stated in an alert.

“Based on the preliminary earthquake parameters, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 1000 km of the earthquake epicentre.”

They later added: “A tsunami threat exists for parts of the Pacific located closer to the earthquake.

“It is still too early to determine whether there is a possible tsunami threat to Hawaii.”

Please refresh for updates.