A major earthquake was recorded in the south Pacific early Sunday, about 140 kilometres (88 miles) northeast of Fiji's Ndoi Island, the US Geological Survey said.

The 7.1-magnitude quake, which hit at 6:57 am local time (18:57 GMT Saturday), registered at a depth of 434 kilometres (270 miles).

No tsunami warning was issued, according to the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Fiji is located in the so-called Ring of Fire area of the Pacific Ocean basin, where a large number of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur.

Last month, a 7.2-magnitude quake struck some 570 kilometres south of Easter Island.

4.3 magnitude quake shakes Costa Rican capital
San Jose (AFP) Nov 01, 2014 - A 4.3 magnitude earthquake shook the Costa Rican capital of San Jose early Saturday morning, with no initial reports of casualties or damage.

The quake struck at 1:23 am (0723 GMT) with an epicenter near the town of Alajuelita, in the southern San Jose metropolitan area, the country's National Seismological Network said.

Despite its strength, initial reports have cited no major injuries or damage to buildings, although residents in the capital area told local radio that house and car alarms had been triggered.

The country's earthquake observatory said that the quake, which was followed minutes later by two lesser-magnitude aftershocks, was not related to recent activity from the Turrialba volcano in eastern-central Costa Rica.

The volcano has spewed ash since Thursday and caused evacuations from areas in its vicinity.