The quake briefly prompted a tsunami alert for parts of Vanuatu, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System, which is part of the National Weather Service. As of 2:14 p.m. local time, U.S. officials said the threat had passed.

Australian tourists described the terrifying moment a violent earthquake struck Vanuatu earlier this week as they arrived back home on Thursday evening.

People remained trapped in a collapsed building in Vanuatu's capital Port Vila on Wednesday a day after a 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Pacific nation, killing 14 people including two Chinese nationals.