Updated 7:53 pm

No damage has been reported. No tsunami warning has been issued for Tongatapu, following a 6.5 magnitude earthquake at 7:02pm local time. 

Tonga Meteorological officers are still monitoring the situation this evening and will alert Radio Tonga with any emergency warnings.

Sione Tungafisi, climate officer, on duty at the Fua'amotu Meteorological Office, said that tsunami warnings for Tonga and Pacific Islands are issued through the Hawaii centre, and they had received no warnings.

He confirmed that the centre of the shallow earthquake was  75km North East of Tongatapu at a depth of 10km. 

Updated 7:30pm

A magnitude 6.5 earthquake centre 71km (44mi) NE of Nuku'alofa, was recorded by the USGS at 7:02pm local time 

the location was 20.717 degrees south, 174.673 degrees west at a depth of 10 kilometres (6.2 miles).

7:05pm

A very large earthquake rocked Nuku'alofa minutes ago, just after 7:00pm local time. Houses shook violently and people could be heard shouting warnings to each other with babies crying. It is not known if there is any damage at this stage.

The shaking continued for less than a minute. It is after dark in Tonga where the sun has set.