A tsunami warning has been issued following a 7.1 magnitude earthquake that struck near the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Sunday. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers and was reported by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicated that dangerous tsunami waves could potentially affect coasts within 300 kilometers of the earthquake’s epicenter. As this is a developing situation, authorities are monitoring the impact and advising residents to stay alert for updates.
This earthquake follows a recent series of seismic activities in the region, highlighting the ongoing geological volatility of the South Pacific area.
Tonga is a country in Polynesia made up of 171 islands with a population of a little more than 100,000 people, most of whom live on the main island of Tongatapu.
It is more than 3,500 kilometers (2,000 miles) off of Australia’s east coast.
