A 6.9-magnitude earthquake struck the Tonga Islands

At 07:29 on August 26, 2024, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake occurred in the Tonga Islands (19.70 degrees south latitude, 175.00 degrees west longitude). The focal depth reached 100 kilometers.

Tonga is located in the circum-Pacific volcanic and seismic belt. Due to the collision of crustal plates, earthquakes occur frequently. There is one large and medium-sized city within 300 kilometers of the epicenter of this 6.9-magnitude earthquake. The nearest one is Nuku'alofa, about 161 kilometers from the epicenter. The average elevation within 5 kilometers of the epicenter is about -1068 meters.

According to the earthquake information network of the US Geological Survey, the earthquake occurred at 12:29 on August 26 local time. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has not issued a tsunami warning for this earthquake. As of now, there are no reports of casualties or property losses.

According to the preliminary earthquake parameters judged by the Tsunami Warning Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources of China, this earthquake may trigger a local tsunami around the epicenter but will not affect the coast of our country.

The Tonga Islands are composed of 172 islands of various sizes, of which 36 are inhabited. The country has a land area of 747 square kilometers and a water area of 259,000 square kilometers. It has a tropical rainforest climate. There are many coral islands in the east with low and flat terrain; in the west are volcanic islands with relatively high terrain and the highest altitude of 1125 meters. It is located at the plate boundary and is an area with strong crustal activities in the circum-Pacific seismic belt. The world's second deepest Tonga Trench is located here.

This 6.9-magnitude earthquake in the Tonga Islands has attracted widespread attention from the international community. Relevant departments are also continuously monitoring the follow-up situation to ensure the safety of local residents and surrounding areas.