Warning for possible tsunami waves as tall as a metre above tide level along coasts of Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Tsunami waves as tall as a metre above the tide level were possible along the coasts Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu following a powerful earthquake in the South Pacific, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said on Wednesday.

The magnitude 7.1 undersea quake hit off New Caledonia about 03:50 GMT, and had already sent small waves radiating out towards the Loyalty Islands, some 250km west of the epicentre.

Waves between 30 cm and one metre were possible at some coasts of Fiji, New Caledonia and Vanuatu, while smaller waves could reach dozens of other islands, the warning centre said.