SYDNEY: A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu early Sunday, the US Geological Survey said, just days after a deadly 7.3-magnitude quake buffeted the island.
The USGS said the epicentre of the latest quake, which occurred at a depth of 40 kilometres, was located some 30 kilometres west of the capital Port Vila.
No tsunami alerts were immediately triggered by the earthquake, which struck at 2:30am (1530 GMT Saturday).
The 7.3-magnitude earthquake that struck off the main island on Tuesday killed at least 12 people as it toppled concrete buildings in the capital and set off landslides.
It damaged water supplies, knocked out mobile networks and halted operations at the capital's main shipping port.
Vanuatu declared a seven-day state of emergency and a night-time curfew following the Tuesday quake, and only announced Saturday it would lift a suspension on commercial flights, in an effort to restart its vital tourism industry.
