TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT NUMBER 1
NWS PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER EWA BEACH HI
2134 UTC SAT SEP 24 2016

..PTWC TSUNAMI INFORMATION STATEMENT...

PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE PARAMETERS
---------------------------------

 * MAGNITUDE      6.8
 * ORIGIN TIME    2129 UTC SEP 24 2016
 * COORDINATES    19.8 SOUTH  178.0 WEST
 * DEPTH          626 KM / 389 MILES
 * LOCATION       FIJI REGION


EVALUATION
----------

 * AN EARTHQUAKE WITH A PRELIMINARY MAGNITUDE OF 6.8 OCCURRED IN
   THE FIJI ISLANDS REGION AT 2129 UTC ON SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 24
   2016.

 * BASED ON ALL AVAILABLE DATA... THERE IS NO TSUNAMI THREAT
   FROM THIS EARTHQUAKE.


RECOMMENDED ACTIONS
-------------------

 * NO ACTION IS REQUIRED.


NEXT UPDATE AND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
--------------------------------------

 * THIS WILL BE THE ONLY STATEMENT ISSUED FOR THIS EVENT UNLESS
   ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED OR THE SITUATION CHANGES.

 * AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION ABOUT THE EARTHQUAKE FROM THE U.S.
   GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT
   EARTHQUAKE.USGS.GOV/EARTHQUAKES -ALL LOWER CASE-.

 * FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT THIS EVENT MAY BE FOUND AT
   PTWC.WEATHER.GOV AND AT WWW.TSUNAMI.GOV.

 * COASTAL REGIONS OF HAWAII... AMERICAN SAMOA... GUAM... AND
   CNMI SHOULD REFER TO PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES
   SPECIFICALLY FOR THOSE PLACES THAT CAN BE FOUND AT
   PTWC.WEATHER.GOV.

 * COASTAL REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA... OREGON... WASHINGTON...
   BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA SHOULD ONLY REFER TO U.S.
   NATIONAL TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER MESSAGES THAT CAN BE FOUND
   AT NTWC.ARH.NOAA.GOV

USGS: How large does an earthquake have to be to cause a tsunami?

Magnitudes below 6.5
Earthquakes of this magnitude are very unlikely to trigger a tsunami.

Magnitudes between 6.5 and 7.5
Earthquakes of this size do not usually produce destructive tsunamis. However, small sea level changes may be observed in the vicinity of the epicenter. Tsunamis capable of producing damage or casualties are rare in this magnitude range but have occurred due to secondary effects such as landslides or submarine slumps.

Magnitudes between 7.6 and 7.8
Earthquakes of this size may produce destructive tsunamis especially near the epicenter; at greater distances small sea level changes may be observed. Tsunamis capable of producing damage at great distances are rare in the magnitude range.

Magnitude 7.9 and greater
Destructive local tsunamis are possible near the epicenter, and significant sea level changes and damage may occur in a broader region.

Note that with a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, the probability of an aftershock with a magnitude exceeding 7.5 is not negligible. To date, the largest aftershock recorded has been magnitude 7.1 that did not produce a damaging tsunami.