HONG KONG (AFP) - A powerful 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Vanuatu in the South Pacific on Friday, but US geologists said it was too deep to cause a tsunami.

The quake hit 27 kilometres east of the beach town of Port-Olry, according to the US Geological Survey.

At a depth of 111 kilometres, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said that the quake was too deep to cause a "destructive tsunami".