An early morning tsunami warning issued for Australia's Lord Howe Island has been cancelled.
The warning was issued after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake hit near New Caledonia around 12.20am Australian eastern time on Thursday.
The main quake was followed by at least three tremors in the region with magnitudes ranging from 6.0 to 6.2 in just over an hour.
An earthquake with a magnitude between 7 and 7.9 is considered a major event and can cause serious damage.
The more than 300 residents of Lord Howe Island, 600km off the NSW mid-north coast, were immediately told to be alert for dangerous rips, waves and strong currents.
They were also told to stay away from beaches or any foreshore areas.
The landscape of Lord Howe Island looking over the lagoon and Ned's beach towards Mount Gower from Kims Lookout. Source: Getty Images AsiaPac
Later, tsunami waves of 40cm were observed in the Pacific Ocean and around nearby Norfolk Island, Australian Bureau of Meteorology reported.
By 7am, the tsunami alert for Lord Howe Island was cancelled.
The quake's epicentre was about 400km east of Tadine, New Caledonia, and was at a depth of about 40km, Geoscience Australia said.
A similar tsunami warning was issued for New Zealand, and residents along its northern coast were told to avoid beaches and shore areas.
The US Tsunami Warning System also said a tsunami watch was in effect for American Samoa and that there was potential for tsunamis in other regions including Vanuatu, Fiji and New Zealand.
Waves reaching up to a level of one metre above the normal tide level are possible for some coasts of Vanuatu, Fiji and New Zealand, it added.
