An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 struck near Tonga early on Monday morning, leading to minor damage and temporary evacuations before the risk of a tsunami affecting the Pacific island nation subsided.
Following the quake at 1:18 a.m., tsunami warning sirens were heard, prompting residents to head inland, according to a live broadcast by the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. In the capital, Nuku’alofa, people were observed moving either inland or to higher ground before authorities announced that it was safe to return home.
Social media users in Tonga reported that phone communication was mostly available across the islands in the archipelago. Pita Taufatofua, a taekwondo athlete, noted on Facebook that the tremors caused items to fall from shelves and walls.
He commented, “It was difficult to remain standing” and mentioned that the duration of the quake was unusually lengthy. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred at a depth of 29 kilometers (18 miles) and was located approximately 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of the primary island. A subsequent 6.1 magnitude earthquake followed in the same region hours later.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii initially issued a notice about the potential for dangerous waves, but the threat quickly dissipated, with only minor sea level changes observed. The country’s disaster management office later cancelled its tsunami warning.
Mafua Maka, the agency’s director, conveyed to Radio New Zealand that no casualties or major structural damage had been reported, although further assessments would be conducted in daylight, as local news sources indicated.
Tonga, a Polynesian nation comprising 171 islands and housing just over 100,000 people, primarily on the main island Tongatapu, is situated 1,800 kilometers (1,100 miles) northeast of New Zealand. It lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly seismic region characterized by earthquakes and volcanic activity.
In 2022, a tsunami resulting from a volcanic eruption in the region claimed three lives.