A powerful earthquake measuring 7.1 on the Richter scale struck near Tonga, prompting officials to issue a tsunami warning for the island nation. According to the US Geological Survey, the quake occurred early on Monday (late Sunday AEDT), approximately 100 kilometres north-east of the largest island, Tongatapu.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre alerted that dangerous waves could potentially affect shores within a 300-kilometre radius of the earthquake’s epicentre. Thankfully, there have been no immediate reports of damage following the seismic event.
Tonga, located in Polynesia, consists of 171 islands and is home to over 100,000 residents, the majority of whom reside on Tongatapu. The archipelago lies more than 3,500 kilometres from the coast of Queensland, Australia.