No Tsunami from 7.4-Magnitude Quake Near Tonga

A powerful earthquake that stuck south of Tonga and Fiji this morning did not generate a Pacific-wide tsunami, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said.

The convergence of tectonic plates is shown in this USGS image (click to enlarge).

The 7.4-magnitude tremor that occurred at 7:19 a.m., Hawaii time, was centered 175 miles southwest of Vaini, Tonga, and 442 miles southeast of Suva, Fiji.

The US Geological Survey said it occurred at a depth of 106 miles at a highly unstable seismic region where the eastern margin of the Australia plate is converging with Pacific plates.

It was followed at 11:08 a.m., Hawaii time, by an aftershock with a magnitude of 6.6.

Since 1900, there have been 15 earthquakes of 7.5 magnitude or greater recorded near New Zealand to the south, the USGS said.

***Updated at 11:40 a.m.***