Tonga quake: Continuing aftershocks rattled the kingdom

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Tonga's National Disaster Risk Management Office says there have been no reports of damage in the kingdom after a magnitude 7 earthquake.

The quake hit 79 kilometres south-southeast of Pangai, which is in the Ha'apai group of islands in Tonga, about 1.20am this morning.

The quake is reported to be the biggest felt in Tonga in 10 years.

People in Tonga had earlier been told to move to higher ground or further inland after a tsunami threat was issued.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center says the tsunami threat for Tongan and Niue coastal areas from a magnitude 7 quake has passed.

Aftershocks are continuing centered in the same area — one measuring at 6.1.

Tonga's National Disaster Risk Management Office director Mafua Maka said there had been no reports of damage yet from the outer islands and the main island of Tongatapu.

He said the quake was felt all over Tongatapu, the Ha'apai group, 'Eua, the Vava'u group of islands, and the two Niuas, the northern most islands which were not part of the warnings from the Tsunami Warning Centre.

He said most people had returned home after the tsunami warnings were lifted.

"The first responders, police, armed forces, fire and emergency services are still directing people to ensure they return home safely," he said.

A New Zealander in Veitongo, Tonga, Ben Maloney, has told RNZ he woke up to his bed shaking and the windows rattling.

He said the whole house was shaking quite badly.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 29 kilometers (18 miles) and was centered about 100 kilometers (62 miles) northeast of the main island in the early morning hours of Monday local time. Hours later, a second 6.1 magnitude quake hit in the same area.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii issued an alert following the first quake saying hazardous waves could be possible but later said there was no longer a tsunami threat. A warning was also cancelled hours later by the country’s disaster management office.

Tsunami sirens could be heard after the 1:18 a.m. quake urging residents to move inland in a live video streamed by the Tonga Broadcasting Commission. People in the capital, Nuku’alofa, were seen moving inland or to higher ground before officials gave the all-clear for residents to return home. (Sources: RNZ & AP)

(Editor’s Note: There was no tsunami warning issued in American Samoa for this earthquake. The territory generally relies on the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii for alerts, as was the case for the 2009 tsunami that hit the territory on Sept. 29.)