Tonga: Magnitude-5.3 offshore earthquake occurs east of the country March 5

A magnitude-5.3 earthquake occurred in the South Pacific Ocean to the east of Tonga at around 23:04 March 5. The epicenter was about 62 km (39 miles) east-southeast of Pangai. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 35 km (22 miles), and light shaking was probably felt throughout much of Tonga. There have been no initial reports of damage or casualties as a result of the earthquake, and 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.