29 Oct 2009

Moderate quake hits northern Tonga

3:40 pm on 29 October 2009

A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 has struck near northern Tonga.

The United States Geological Survey says the quake was centred 50km northeast of the Tongan island of Niuatoputapu at a depth of 10km.

There were no early reports of damage.

Nine people died late last month on Niuatoputapu in a tsunami triggered by an 8.0 magnitude earthquake.