A 7.0-magnitude quake struck offshore near Tonga, the US Geological Survey said Sunday, with authorities in the Pacific island nation warning of tsunami waves.
The shallow quake hit 79 kilometers (49 miles) south-southeast of the village of Pangai at 1219 GMT on Sunday.
The US tsunami warning system initially said, "Hazardous tsunami waves from this earthquake are possible within 300 kilometers of the epicenter along the coasts of Tonga."
It subsequently revised the assessment, saying, "The tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed," but authorities in Tonga issued further warnings.
The Tonga Meteorological Services told residents in the risk area to evacuate inland to high ground, three-story solid buildings, or tsunami evacuation sites.
"Mariners out at sea are advised to move to deep water away from reefs or coasts and remain there until it is safe," it said on Facebook.
The tourism ministry published an evacuation map on Facebook for the capital, Nuku'alofa.
Earthquakes are common in Tonga, a low-lying archipelago home to around 100,000 people that straddles the seismic Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire is an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.
AFP
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