SYDNEY (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.8 earthquake was recorded east of New Caledonia in the South Pacific on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said, about half an hour after an earlier 6.5 quake in the same area.

The second quake was registered 163 km (100 miles) east of Tadine in the Loyalty Islands at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), the USGS said.

There were no tsunami alerts from the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center after either quake and there were no early reports of casualties or damage.