A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck near the remote Kermadec Islands in the South Pacific on Saturday, US geologists said, but no tsunami warning was issued.

The quake, at 9:24am (2124 GMT, Friday), was centred 146 kilometres (91 miles) below the surface, the US Geological Survey said.

The uninhabited Kermadecs, New Zealand's northernmost islands, lie 1,100 kilometres north of Auckland in an active tectonic zone.

A 6.7-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the island region two weeks ago.

4.4-magnitute quake hits northern Greece: observatory
Athens (AFP) Oct 11, 2013 - A 4.4 magnitude earthquake struck close to the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece early on Friday, the Athens Observatory said, with no immediate reports of damages.

The earthquake was "mild" according to an observatory spokesman and its epicentre was recorded 35 kilometres (21 miles) north of Polygyros, the capital of the Halkidiki peninsula.

Halkidiki, a popular tourist destination, is located east of Thessaloniki, Greece's second-largest city.

The quake struck at 8:15 am local time (0515 GMT) and tremors were also felt in the nearby Thessaloniki.

Greece lies on two tectonic plates, making it one of Europe's most earthquake-prone countries.