Earthquake of 7.6 magnitude strikes Tonga

An earthquake measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the Pacific island country of Tonga today.

According to the US Geological Survey, the earthquake hit around 1602 GMT at a depth of 210 km, roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) off the isolated volcano island of Niuatoputapu in Tonga.

It said that there was no tsunami risk and no  reports of casualties or property damage.

Tonga and Samoa sit on the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where tectonic plates often shift, frequently experiencing seismic activity.

E.M