Authorities in Tonga eased a national tsunami warning on Tuesday after a strong offshore earthquake shook parts of the Pacific island nation earlier in the day.
The magnitude 7.6 quake struck west of Neiafu, according to the United States Geological Survey, prompting an urgent alert from local meteorological officials and brief concern about the possibility of dangerous waves.
The USGS said the earthquake occurred about 166 kilometres west of Neiafu, Tonga. It registered at a depth of 229.5 kilometres beneath the seabed, a level that can sometimes reduce the likelihood of severe surface damage.
Early reports indicated the tremor was felt across the country. Officials initially warned that a tsunami could follow within minutes, urging residents to move quickly to safer ground.
“A dangerous tsunami could occur in minutes,” the Tonga Meteorological Services said in an early statement posted on social media platform X. The agency advised people in coastal areas to evacuate and seek higher ground as a precaution.
The warning was issued nationwide shortly after the quake was detected. The alert covered multiple island groups across the country as authorities assessed the situation.
Later on Tuesday, the Tonga Meteorological Services said conditions had stabilised enough to ease the warning. The update, shared in a statement on Facebook, confirmed the easing of alerts for several key locations including Vava’u, Tongatapu, ‘Eua, Ha’apai and Niuas.
Officials did not report any immediate casualties or significant damage following the earthquake. Assessments were continuing as authorities monitored the situation.
Neiafu, the country’s second-largest town, sits along a deep-water harbour on the southern coast of Vavaʻu, the main island of the Vavaʻu archipelago in northern Tonga.
The town has a population of just under 4,000 residents. Its coastal setting means communities there remain particularly attentive to tsunami alerts and seismic activity in surrounding waters.
Although the initial warning raised concerns, the easing of the alert suggested the immediate threat had diminished. Officials continued to monitor conditions after the earthquake.
For residents across the islands, the morning’s events served as a reminder of the region’s exposure to sudden seismic activity and the importance of rapid warnings when such tremors occur.
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Authorities have not released further updates on damage or injuries, and monitoring remained ongoing as the situation stabilised.
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