Great Earthquakes in Diverse Places
Strong Earthquake hits off Tonga
Wednesday, October 6th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
By BNO News
NEIAFU, TONGA (BNO NEWS) -- A strong earthquake shook the Pacific
island nation of Tonga on early Thursday morning, seismologists said,
but there were no immediate reports of damage or casualties.
The 5.7-magnitude earthquake at 8.43 a.m. local time (1943 GMT
Wednesday) was centered approximately 90 kilometers (55 miles) north of
Neiafu, the second-largest town in Tonga. It struck about 89.3
kilometers (55.5 miles) deep, making it an intermediate depth
earthquake, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The agency estimated that several people may have perceived moderate
shaking, while some 18,000 others may have felt light earthquake
shaking. "There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage," the USGS
added.
Tongo is on the so-called 'Pacific Ring of Fire', an arc of fault lines
circling the Pacific Basin that is prone to frequent and large
earthquakes. Volcanic eruptions also occur frequently in the region,
which is one of the most geologically active parts in the world.
On September 29, 2009, an 8.1-magnitude earthquake struck 185
kilometers (115 miles) east-northeast of Hihifo on Tonga, unleashing
giant tsunamis that killed nearly 200 people and injured hundreds more
on Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, and other nearby islands.