The brief tsunami warning for Australia and New Zealand was cancelled on Thursday after no immediate reports of damage were reported due to the 7.7 magnitude undersea earthquake, which threatened the South Pacific region earlier in the day, reported Reuters. Due to risks of unexpected currents, tsunami centres across the region sent alerts for the public to stay off beaches and shore areas.

After the risk declined, the National Emergency Management Agency said in a statement, “Based on the most recent modelling and decreasing tsunami amplitudes at North Cape, Great Barrier Island and the East Cape, the tsunami threat has passed for New Zealand.”

Australia cancelled a marine tsunami warning it had issued for residents of Lord Howe Island, a marine reserve more than700 kilometres northeast of Sydney. There was no threat to the mainland, the statement added.

Also read: 7.5 magnitude earthquake hits coasts of Vanuatu, New Caledonia

According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the earthquake had a depth of 10 kilometres and was 417 kilometres east of Tadine, New Caledonia.

The quake followed at least three other shakings in the region with magnitudes ranging from 5.7 to 6.1 in just over an hour.

The US Tsunami Warning System said it was keeping an eye on a tsunami in effect American Samoa and cited a potential for tsunamis in other areas, including Fiji and New Zealand.