A 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck near the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), triggering sirens in the capital, though no tsunami is expected.
There were no immediate reports of any damage or casualties. Footage from the Tonga Broadcasting Commission depicted people gathered on a rooftop in the capital city of Nuku’alofa, and warning sirens could be heard in the background.
No Tsunami Threat
The Tonga National Disaster Risk Management Office issued a tsunami warning in coastal areas, urging people to evacuate and move inland or to higher ground. In a post on Facebook, the office urged people to avoid beaches, shorelines and low-lying coastal areas until an all-clear was announced.
However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre has stated that “there is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the earth”.
The Tonga Police Department advised the citizens to “stay calm, remain prepared and avoid panic” and that they should “follow official instructions” and “avoid spreading unverified information.”
Proximity To ‘Pacific Ring Of Fire’
The USGS said the earthquake struck at a depth of nearly 238 km, and its epicentre was approximately 153 km west of the town of Neiafu, which is the second largest town on the island. Earthquakes at shallower depths are felt more strongly on the surface.
The nation of Tonga lies on the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, one of the most geologically active zones on Earth and is subject to frequent earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic activity.
The Island of Tonga is an archipelago located in Polynesia. It consists of 171 islands and has a small population of approximately 100,000 people. Most of these people reside on the main island of Tongatapu. The earthquake in Tonga, however, was centred around the Vava’u group of islands.
The Island nation is about 3,000 km from Australia and 1,800 km northeast of the coast of New Zealand, whose National Emergency Management Agency has already ruled out the threat of a tsunami reaching its shores.
(With inputs from Reuters)
