The shallower a quake, the more damage it is likely to cause. USGS first measured the quake at 10 km deep.

A large 7.2 quake struck off the coast of the South Pacific islands of Vanuatu on Sunday and there was a possibility of tsunamis, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The quake struck 151 km north northwest of Santo on Vanuatu and was 35 km deep, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The shallower a quake, the more damage it is likely to cause. USGS first measured the quake at 10 km deep.

There were no immediate reports of damage.

Earthquakes are common in the area and even large tremors often cause no tsunamis. A 7.3 magnitude quake struck off Vanuatu in October and a 6.3 quake struck in December without causing any damage.

Related articles across the web

• Mexican Silver Mining Production Grew 3.5% in 2015
• Nebraska law aims to control fracking waste
• Lucy Jones is retiring from USGS and quakes
• 6.2 magnitude earthquake hits off Indonesia
• 'Nightmare' scenarios: How bigger earthquakes could impact Dallas
• Eastern Monarch Butterflies at Risk of Extinction
• People & Off-road Vehicles Create Greatest Disturbance For Shorebirds
• Oil companies want to get in on the action in Cuba
• Shorebirds Ignore Aircraft, But Pay Attention to People, Off-road Vehicles
• Minor earthquake reported in Morris County, New Jersey: USGS