Earthquakes measuring 7.4, 7.3 and 8.1 were recorded. Waves of up to 3m were possible, authorities said. Tsunami sirens rang out in coastal communities across the South Pacific on Friday, as a cluster of powerful earthquakes triggered warnings for tens of thousands of residents to rush to higher ground. Tsunami alerts were issued in countries as far apart as Peru and Australia, after a trio of large quakes measuring 7.4, 7.3 and 8.1, plus dozens of powerful aftershocks, struck near New Zealand's remote Kermadec Islands. READ | No damage or injuries were reported from the quakes. But authorities warned waves of up to 3m were possible in New Caledonia and Vanuatu, where residents in the capital Port Vila received SMS messages ordering them to "move to higher grounds".