No reports of injury or damage after quakes rock South Pacific

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) There have been no reports of injury or damage in the wake of three strong earthquakes in the South Pacific and a small tsunami.

Still, the alerts caused thousands of residents to flee to higher ground in at least two Pacific Islands.

The warnings came just over a week after a massive tsunami hit the region, killing about 178 people.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a regional tsunami warning for 11 nations and territories after a quake with a magnitude of 7.8 struck northwest of one of the Vanuatu islands. Two other quakes of magnitude 7.7 and 7.3 followed in the same area.

The center canceled the tsunami warnings after sea-level readings indicated that the wave generated by the quakes was too small to cause much damage.

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