Wellington  - New Zealand civil defence authorities downgraded an initial tsunami warning after three big quakes hit the South Pacific Thursday, saying there was no confirmation that a tsunami had been created.

Any tsunami was unlikely to be destructive for New Zealand, they said. But officials issued a warning that people should stay away from beaches on part of the coastline.

The US Geological Survey reported three quakes off Vanuatu within the space of less than an hour, starting at 2141 GMT with a 6.7 temblor in the Celebes Sea, followed by two quakes measuring 7.8 and 7.3 in the following 40 minutes near Vanuatu.

Australian authorities who issued a tsunami warning said the Vanuatu quake measured 8 on the Richter scale.

Authorities in the French Pacific territory of New Caledonia had evacuated residents from the eastern shore of the main island and the Loyalty Islands to higher ground following the tsunami warning, Radio New Zealand reported. (dpa)