Powerful 6.5 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Tonga Islands at a Depth of 199km”
Tonga Islands rocked by 6.5 magnitude earthquake
The quake had a depth of 199km.
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake has been recorded off the coast of Tonga in Polynesia.
Geoscience Australia said the quake, with a depth of 199km, happened at 11.28am local time on Friday in the South Pacific Ocean about 126km from Tonga’s second-largest town, Neiafu.
An earlier 5.7 magnitude earthquake was recorded about 5.50pm on Thursday, closer to Tonga’s capital, Nuku’alofa.
Tonga Metrological Services said there was no local tsunami threat from both quakes, although unusual sea currents could occur near the coast.
Local news website, Matangi Tonga, said the 5.8 earthquake lightly rocked homes in Nuku’alofa.
The Kingdom of Tonga consists of 176 islands divided into three main island groups.
It is about 5,200km from Australia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean south of Samoa, southeast of Fiji and northeast of New Zealand.
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology said there was no tsunami threat to Australia as a result of the quake.7N
JKNEWS -NATION
