Powerful earthquake shakes New Caledonia

Powerful earthquake shakes New Caledonia

WASHINGTON - A powerful 7.3-magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of New Caledonia Monday in the tectonically active Pacific region, the US Geological Survey said. 

The tremor hit at a depth 25 kilometres (16 miles) some 85 kilometres to the east of the lightly populated Loyalty Islands, initial data from the survey said.