A 7.1-magnitude earthquake has struck near Tonga and Niue in the Pacific Ocean, triggering a tsunami warning. The earthquake hit in the early hours of Monday local time, approximately 62 miles northeast of Tongatapu, the main island of Tonga.
Tsunami Warning for Tonga and Niue
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of six miles, which is considered shallow. Shallow earthquakes tend to cause more shaking and can increase the risk of a major tsunami. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued an alert stating that hazardous waves could affect coasts located within 185 miles of the epicenter.
As a result, Tonga and Niue are now under tsunami warnings. The waves could range from 0.3 meters to 1 meter. Other areas such as the Cook Islands, Fiji, Samoa, Tuvalu, Kiribati, Kermadec Islands, American Samoa, and Wallis and Futuna may see smaller waves of less than 30 cm.
The Impact and Risk
The earthquake occurred 6 miles deep, making it shallower than the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, which struck at a depth of 18 miles. Shallow quakes are typically more destructive because they cause stronger ground shaking, which can lead to larger tsunami waves.
Reports of damage may take some time to surface, as the quake hit in the middle of the night local time and the affected area is sparsely populated.
No Threat to Australia
According to Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology, there is no tsunami risk for Australia as a result of this earthquake.
Tonga’s Recent History
This earthquake comes just a year after the Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcano erupted in 2022, covering Tonga’s most populated islands in ash. That eruption, the most powerful atmospheric explosion in over 100 years, created a large crater in the seabed.