5.5-magnitude quake hits off Tonga

WELLINGTON – A 5.5-magnitude earthquake struck off the Pacific island nation of Tonga Friday, seismologists said, but the shallow tremor did not trigger any immediate tsunami alert or damage reports.

The undersea quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometres (six miles) some 1,451 kilometres south of the Tongan capital Nuku’alofa at 18:52 local time (10:52 GMT), the US Geological Survey said.

The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not issue a tsunami warning or advisory.

Earthquakes are common on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where continental plates in the Earth’s crust meet.