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Earthquakes

Three undersea earthquakes near Niuatoputapu

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

 

Location of the earthquakes between Niuatoputapu and Samoa, source USGS 30 March 2015.

A cluster of three large earthquakes were reported between Niuatoputapu and Samoa this evening between 8:56pm and 9:48pm - measuring 6.8, 6.4 and 5.6 magnitude, according to USGS data.

Tonga's Meteorological Office said they were aware of the quakes but the situation was “sound” and there was no problem. Matangi Tonga has been unable to contact Niuatoputapu by telephone tonight and we are still trying. TCC customer service reported that the telephones in Niuafo'ou have not been operating recently, but cell phones in Niuatoputapu are usually working.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii stated that a destructive Pacific wide tsunami was not expected from these events.

The earthqukes are in the same region as the twin earthquakes in 2009 that caused a devastating tsunami in Samoa, and Niuatoputapu where 9 people died.

Earthquake location reported by USGS. 30 March 2015.

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us10001ryu#general_map