7.1 Earthquake Hits Near Tonga

On March 30, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake swept near the island of Tonga. The event occurred at 1:18 a.m local time and was just miles from Tonga.

Many residents were panicked after The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning. Especially those that were very close to the coast or beach, they seeked higher ground to avoid the potential damage.

However, soon after the tsunami warning was lifted when The U.S. Geological Survey said that the threat of a tsunami was now gone. In their observations, they noticed that no new alarming waves had popped up, which prevented chaos on the island.

There are no reports of deaths or injuries currently that are a result of the earthquake. Government officials will continue to monitor the earthquake and they put out a statement to urge people to remain ready for potential aftershocks.

The island of Tonga is made of 171 islands and is on the Pacific Ring of Fire. In the event of an earthquake, they are accustomed to the procedures and have many protocols in place.