17 Oct 2010

Two earthquakes off the coast of Tonga

10:58 am on 17 October 2010

Two earthquakes occurred off the coast of Tonga on Sunday morning. There are no immediate reports of damage.

US Geological Survey said the first was magnitude 5.8 at 2.27am (0027 AEDT), 155km east-northeast of the capital, Nuku'Alofa, at a depth of 9.5km.

The second occurred just after 9am (0700 AEDT) at a depth of 12km, 180km east of the capital, Nuku'Alofa.

The USGS said a magnitude 5.8 earthquake occurred at 2.27am (0027 AEDT Sunday), 155km east-northeast of Nuku'Alofa at a depth of 9.5km.

Nine people died in Tonga in a tsunami triggered by an earthquake that also killed 143 people in Samoa and 34 in American Samoa at 7am on 29 September, 2009 (American Samoa Time).