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http://fijitimes.com.fj/story.aspx?id=133477

 

Tremors rock Vanua Levu 

Friday, November 13, 2009 

TWO earthquakes rocked areas in the Fiji group yesterday. 

The first tremor, measuring 4.8 on the Richter scale, struck in northern Vanua Levu 
yesterday morning. 

Mineral Resources Department senior seismologist Lasarusa Vuetibau said some people 
in Bua reported feeling the tremor. 

He said the earthquake struck the seismically active part off Lekutu and Yasawa-i-Rara. 

"This is part of Fiji's fracture zone, which runs all the way from northern Yasawa to Udu 
Point," said Mr Vuetibau. 

The US Geological Survey recorded another tremor measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale at 
2.13pm yesterday. 

Two aftershocks followed the earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale that 
occurred at 10.45pm on Monday. A 4.9 magnitude tremor happened at 1.19am on 
Tuesday with another measuring 4.5 occurring 36 minutes later. 

Nabouwalu police station received no reports of damage along the coastal villages of Bua 
province on Monday. The earthquake shook at a depth of 565km. 

However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued two tsunami bulletins, advising 
that "based on the depth of the earthquake" a tsunami was not generated. 

It said the earthquake's location was virtually in the centre of waters between Fiji's two 
most populated islands -- Viti Levu and Vanua Levu. 

The closest towns to the quake zone were Tavua and Vaileka in northeast Viti Levu.