A 6.9 earthquake struck just south of Fiji at a depth of 17 kilometres.
The Pacifi Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said the tusnami threat has now passed but people must remain observant and exercise normal caution near the sea.
A 6.9 magnitude earthquake initially recorded as 7.2 struck south of Fiji at a depth of 17km just before 11am on 4th January, 2017. Photo: Pacific Tsunami Warning Center
The quake, initially recorded as 7.2, struck 221km southwest of Nadi just before 11am local time.
There were several strong aftershocks, with seven of them measuring at least 5 on the Richter scale.
Staff evacuate from the Fiji Red Cross building in Suva. Photo: Twitter: @corinneambler
The PTWC said hazardous waves reaching up to one metre above tide level were possible for some Fiji coasts within 300 kilometres of the epicentre and urged caution as the impact could vary from one section of the coast to the next.
Sigatoka market vendor Deo Narayan said chairs were shaking and people started to panic.
He told the Fiji Times locals shopping at the market were alarmed and people wanted to go home but they were waiting for officials to update them.
Tsunami madness pic.twitter.com/9fSS0VUeXf
— Elenoa Masi Baselala (@ElleMasi) January 3, 2017
At the Fiji Sun office at Walu Bay, staff felt desks and computers shaking for a good 10-15 seconds.
The Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources permanent secretary Malakai Finau told the Fiji Times people living in low lying areas should move to higher grounds as a precautionary measure.
People moving to higher grounds following a tsunami warning. #FijiQuake #Tsunami @FijiGov_RMDNDM @RNZInews @GlennMcCNZ @MonishNand pic.twitter.com/XhLFrI5oyp
— Halitesh Datt (@HaliteshDatt) January 3, 2017
RNZ newsreader Grant Walker is on holiday in Denarau and said he felt the earthquake but people around him seemed not to notice.
"We were by the pool, we were on the lounge chairs and they were shaking to which I turned to my partner and said 'yeah that's an earthquake'. No one else noticed anything, no chatter, no nothing."
Mr Walker said a warning was issued and people were told to evacuate off the beaches.
The Ministry of Civil Defence said there is no tsunami threat to New Zealand following the quake.
#MRD has issued a national evacuation broadcast for all low lying areas #Fiji #TeamFiji pic.twitter.com/2VKIX4LJMm
— VFR VERT Rescue (@VFRfiji) January 3, 2017
Have just lost power though - but that happens on a nearly daily basis anyway at our apartment #fijiquake
— Juliette Sivertsen (@j_sivertsen) January 3, 2017
There is no tsunami threat to New Zealand following the 7.2M earthquake south of Fiji at 10:53am NZ time.
— MCDEM (@NZcivildefence) January 3, 2017
.@aptc_pacific staff felt shake at L6 Ganilau House, Suva. Vacated bldg. Need for concern @FijiGovernment? #fijiearthquake #fijinews pic.twitter.com/SxVAV2u8cy
— Kelvin Anthony (@keljnr) January 3, 2017
