Australia issues tsunami alert after 6.7-magnitude earthquake

A powerful earthquake struck just north of Macquarie Island

Map of Macquarie Island where an earthquake of magnitude 6.7 struck. United States Geological Survey

Australia issued a tsunami alert on Thursday after a powerful earthquake struck off Macquarie Island in the Southern Ocean.

The magnitude 6.7 quake, which was revised from an initial 7.3, had a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

Australia's Official Bureau of Meteorology issued a tsunami alert. It said there was a "potential threat for Macquarie Island - an Australian territory that's about equidistant from Tasmania and Antarctica's Anderson Peninsula.

The US Tsunami Warning System said there was no tsunami warning after the earthquake.