Tonga: Magnitude-5.0 offshore earthquake in South Pacific on Dec. 21

A magnitude-5.9 offshore earthquake occurred 111 km (69 miles) east-southeast of Fangale’ounga at 22:20 Dec. 21. The tremor occurred at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles), and weak-to-light shaking was probably felt throughout 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. Aftershocks are possible 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.