Tonga Rocked by 7.1 Magnitude Earthquake, Tsunami Warning Issued

Nuku'alofa (The Uttam Hindu): A shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 struck the Tonga Islands on Sunday, prompting a tsunami warning for the Pacific island nation and neighboring Niue. The quake's epicenter was located 90 kilometers (56 miles) southeast of the village of Pangai, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert, warning of possible tsunami waves reaching 0.3 to 1 meter above the tide level for some coasts of Niue and Tonga.

Authorities in Tonga have issued a warning to residents to stay away from beaches and shorelines. "People living in low-lying coastal areas, please move to higher grounds or further inland," the Tonga National Disaster Risk Management Office advised. As of now, there are no immediate reports of damage or casualties. Tonga is a low-lying archipelago home to around 100,000 people, located over 3,500 kilometers (2,000 miles) off Australia's east coast.

The region is prone to seismic activity, lying on the Ring of Fire, an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin. This powerful earthquake follows a recent series of seismic activities in the region.