Shallow M6.0 earthquake hits Tonga region
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.0 hit south of the Fiji islands at 08:11 UTC on June 16, 2023. The agency is reporting a depth of 22 km (13.7 miles). EMSC is reporting M6.0 at a depth of 30 km (18 miles).
The quake follows a very strong M7.2 in the region at 18:06 UTC on June 15.
The epicenter was located 279 km (173 miles) S of Nuku’alofa, Tonga.
There is no tsunami threat from this earthquake.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are highly vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are unknown/miscellaneous types and wood construction.
Regional seismicity
Featured image credit: TW/SAM, Google
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