A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near Tonga on Tuesday, prompting emergency sirens in the capital city. Despite the powerful tremor, officials say the quake's deep location nearly 150 miles underground eliminated any tsunami threat to the Pacific region.
A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake rocked the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Tuesday, prompting emergency alerts in the capital city, the United States Geological Survey reported.
Emergency sirens blared throughout Nuku’alofa as residents responded to the seismic event, though officials confirmed no immediate damage or injuries occurred. Video from the Tonga Broadcasting Commission captured residents gathering on rooftops in the capital while warning sirens echoed across the city.
Local emergency officials with the Tonga National Disaster Risk Management Office initially activated tsunami protocols, directing residents in coastal zones to evacuate to elevated areas and move away from shorelines.
However, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center quickly clarified that “there is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the earth.”
According to USGS data, the seismic event occurred at an extraordinary depth of approximately 238 kilometers (148 miles) below the surface, with its center located roughly 150 kilometers from Neiafu.
The island nation frequently experiences significant geological activity due to its position along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region known worldwide for intense seismic and volcanic phenomena that regularly produces earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions.
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