Strong quake hits off Vanuatu, no reports of damage

A magnitude 6.4 undersea quake struck off the Pacific Ocean island nation of Vanuatu on Friday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake was centred 138 miles (222km) north northwest of the island of Santo and at a depth of 21.7 miles.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii said there was no widespread tsunami threat, but warned quakes of that size could generate localised tsunamis along coastlines within a few hundred kilometres.

Police in the capital Port Vila said they had not received any reports of damage or rising sea levels, but the area the quake hit is off the country's remote northwest, with little communications.

"We have not received any reports of damage or sea change from the disaster office," said a police officer in Port Vila on the island of Efate in the southern end of the island chain.