Tonga: A magnitude-5.6 offshore earthquake occurs in South Pacific Ocean at around 12:44 Dec. 24

A magnitude-5.6 earthquake occurred east of Tonga in the South Pacific Ocean at around 12:44 Dec. 24. The epicenter was about 123 km (76 miles) southeast of Pangai. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and light-to-weak shaking was probably felt throughout much of Tonga. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake; however, significant damage is unlikely. It could take several hours until authorities can conduct comprehensive damage assessments, especially in remote areas. Light aftershocks are likely over the coming days. The event has not prompted any tsunami advisories.

Officials may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the tremor zone to check for damage. Minor disruptions could occur during shutdowns, but service will likely resume quickly if no damage is found. Utility outages are possible, particularly near the earthquake's epicenter.