Multiple 7+ Magnitude Earthquakes Strike South Pacific, Triggering Tsunami Warnings and Alerts

The US Tsunami Warning Center lifted the tsunami alert for the South Pacific after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck near the Loyalty Islands of the French territory New Caledonia. The center initially issued a tsunami alert for coasts within 1,000 kilometers of the epicenter, but later withdrew it. The South Pacific is one of the most seismically active areas of the world due to high rates of convergence between the Australia and Pacific tectonic plates.