Mumbai: Two days after massive earthquakes devastated parts of Myanmar and Thailand, another powerful quake struck near Pacific island nation of Tonga, away from Australia’s east coast, on Sunday.
The 7.1-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami warning, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Sunday’s quake occurred about 100 kilometres (62 miles) northeast of Tonga’s main island in the early hours of Monday, local time (around 6 pm IST Sunday).
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert.
After a 7.1 magnitude earthquake struck near Tonga on March 30, 2025, triggering a tsunami warning, coastal residents began migrating inland to higher ground for safety. No damage reports have emerged yet as the situation develops.#séisme #Sismo #gempa #แผ่นดินไหว https://t.co/scYmB8ecMT pic.twitter.com/NkUNsuWOHQ
— GeoTechWar (@geotechwar) March 30, 2025
“Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 kilometres (186 miles) of the epicentre along the coasts of Tonga,” the US tsunami warning system said.
According to German Research Centre for Geosciences, the earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.
There were no immediate reports of damage, but a proper assessment will only be possible once daylight dawns on Tonga.
Tonga, a Polynesian nation made up of 171 islands, has a population of just over 100,000 people. The majority of the population resides Tongatapu, the main island which is located around 3,500 kilometres east of Australia’s Brisbane.
