WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Tens of thousands of coastal residents in New Zealand, New Caledonia and Vanuatu fled for higher ground Friday as a cluster of powerful earthquakes sparked a Pacific-wide tsunami alert.
Warning sirens sounded across Noumea as authorities ordered evacuations amid fears that waves of up three metres (10 feet) were headed towards the French territory.
“People must leave beach areas and stop all water activities, and should not pick their children up at schools to avoid creating traffic jams,” emergency services spokesman Alexandre Rosignol told public radio.
In New Zealand, communities along stretches of the North Island were warned…
Keep on reading: Mass evacuations as large quakes spark Pacific-wide tsunami alert