Powerful 7.0 magnitude quake strikes south Atlantic: USGS

WASHINGTON: A powerful 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck in the south Atlantic ocean 314 kilometers (195 miles) southeast of Stanley, the main city on the Falkland Islands, the US Geological Survey said early Monday.

The underwater quake struck at 0627 GMT at a depth of 10 kilometers in the lightly populated area, the USGS said. The epicenter was also 877 kilometers east of Ushuaia, Argentina, the USGS said.

There were no initial reports of damage or casualties.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a bulletin stating that, despite the power of the quake, "a destructive widespread tsunami threat does not exist.

"The Tsunami Warning Center however did say that there was a "small possibility of a local or regional tsunami" that could affect coastlines "located usually no more than a few hundred kilometers from the earthquake epicenter.

"The USGS initially said that it was a magnitude 6.6 earthquake, but later revised the quakes strength. (AFP)