Tonga EARTHQUAKE: Panic as Pacific islands hit by 5.6 magnitude earthquake
A 5.6 magnitude earthquake has hit the coast of Tonga just three days after a violent 6.4 shook the Pacific ’Ring of Fire’, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
By LILA RANDALL
Express.co.uk
Wed, Dec 26, 2018
The earthquake struck at just past 2pm today local time. The epicentre was roughly 151 km north of Neiafu, the second largest town in Tonga with a population of around 6,000. No tsunami warning has been issued but aftershocks are possible. Local authorities are instructing individuals to prepare for fresh tremors and to stay alert for any risks such as falling debris and steering clear of windows if staying indoors.
People who are outdoors are being warned to move away from tall buildings, utility wires and street lights.
The Ring of Fire is a highly tectonic zone prone to volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.
The USGS, who maps reports of where individuals felt the earthquake, received one notification from someone inbetween the islands of Niuatoputapu and Neiafu, however, the exact location or circumstances of the participant is unknown.
The region was also struck by an earthquake on 23 December at 11pm with a magnitude between 6.1 and 6.9.
According to the richter scale its strength ‘may cause a lot of damage in very populated areas’ however it is unclear whether there were any casualties or damage.
Following the quake the USGS wrote on its website:“Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist.
“The predominant vulnerable building types are informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) and unknown/miscellaneous types construction.”
The eastern margin of the Australia plate, where Tonga is situated, is one of the most sesimically active areas of the world due to high rates of convergence between the Australia and Pacific plates.
The region of the Kermadec and Tonga islands generates many large earthquakes on the interface between the descending Pacific and overriding Australia plates, within the two plates themselves and, less frequently, near the outer rise of the Pacific plate east of the trench.
Since 1900, a shocking 40 earthquakes eclipsing a 7.5 magnitude have been recorded in this area.
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