Pacific Rise Earthquake
© USGS
A strong earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has struck the northern East Pacific Rise in the Pacific Ocean, centered far southwest of Mexico, seismologists say. There is no threat of a tsunami.

The earthquake, which struck at 8:33 p.m. CT on Thursday, was centered about 597 kilometers (371 miles) east of France's Clipperton Island, or 842 kilometers (523 miles) southwest of Acapulco de Juarez in Mexico.

The United States Geological Survey put the earthquake's preliminary magnitude at 6.8 and said it struck at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said there was no threat of a tsunami to Pacific coastlines of Mexico, Central America and South America, while the U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center added that there also isn't any threat along the western coastlines of the United States and Canada.

Because the earthquake was centered far from land, there should be no damage or casualties.