Doha: An earthquake measuring 5.1 magnitude on the Richter scale struck Tonga in the South Pacific. The US Geological Survey reported that the quake occurred 117 kilometers southeast of the village of Hihifo on the island, at a depth of 36.5 kilometers.
According to Qatar News Agency, there have been no reports of casualties or material damage due to the earthquake, and no tsunami warnings have been issued.
Located northwest of both New Zealand and Australia, Tonga is an archipelago of 176 scattered islands in the South Pacific Ocean, of which only 52 are inhabited.