6.9 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Vanuatu

(CNN) A magnitude-6.9 earthquake struck the South Pacific island nation of Vanuatu on Sunday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The USGS said the quake hit at 7:23 p.m. local time off the island of Espiritu Santo, more than 250 miles north-northwest of the capital, Port Vila.

It occurred about 50 miles north-northwest of the town of Port Olry at a depth of  22 miles.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of a potential tsunami but subsequently said the threat had "now largely passed."

Vanuatu is situated in one of the most seismically active areas in the world, and similarly sized temblors struck it in October and December.