Strong 7.0 earthquake strikes near Tonga; tsunami warning briefly issued

A powerful magnitude 7.0 earthquake struck near the island nation of Tonga, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). A tsunami warning was briefly issued but has since been cancelled.

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred at 1:18 a.m. local time on Monday, with an epicenter located 45 miles (73 km) southeast of Pangai, a town on the island of Lifuka. It struck at a depth of 18 mi (29 km), USGS data showed.

The quake was felt across much of the country, according to user-submitted reports to the USGS website. The agency estimates that up to 3,000 people may have experienced strong shaking, with more than 100,000 likely feeling light to moderate shaking. Despite the intensity, damage or casualties are not expected.

A tsunami warning was briefly issued by the Tonga National Disaster Risk Management Office (NDRMO) following the earthquake but has since been lifted. No tsunami waves or impacts were reported.

Tonga lies along the so-called ‘Pacific Ring of Fire’, where frequent tectonic activity leads to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In January 2022, the eruption of the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcano triggered a massive undersea explosion and tsunami, causing widespread damage in Tonga and affecting coastlines across the Pacific.

The latest earthquake comes just days after a catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake devastated central Myanmar, killing more than 1,600 people and damaging infrastructure across the region.