*Tonga Shaken by Double Earthquakes Following Myanmar Tremor*
Tonga, an island nation in the South Pacific comprising around 170 islands, experienced a significant earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the 7.0 magnitude quake occurred approximately 60 miles northeast of the main island, Tongatapu, where the capital city Nuku’alofa is situated, and about 50 miles southeast of another island in the archipelago called Pangai. Initial assessments suggested that parts of Tongatapu and Pangai might have felt light to moderate shaking due to the quake. Luckily, there have been no reports of damages or injuries thus far.
The earthquake struck at 1:18 a.m. local time on early Monday morning, prompting a tsunami warning advising residents in the affected areas to seek higher ground or take refuge in sturdy structures or designated tsunami evacuation locations, according to Tonga Meteorological Services. Although the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu, Hawaii, initially issued a warning of possible hazardous waves associated with the earthquake, they later stated that the tsunami risk had passed.
Laitia Fifita, the director of Tonga Meteorological Services, mentioned that they were actively monitoring sea levels but had not observed any alarming activity several hours post-quake, as reported by the local news outlet Talanoa o Tonga.
This seismic event came shortly after a powerful earthquake struck Myanmar on Friday, with a magnitude of 7.7, resulting in numerous casualties and significant damage in urban areas like Mandalay and Naypitaw. The earthquake in Myanmar also affected Thailand, causing fatalities and injuries in and around Bangkok, according to authorities.
As of Sunday, over 200 individuals were still missing in parts of Myanmar and Thailand following the earthquake. The disaster led to the collapse of buildings in heavily impacted regions, where rescue teams continued searching through debris for additional victims.
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