6.3 quake hits off Tonga, Samoan islands

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Tonga and the Samoan islands on Friday, two days after a giant tremor caused a devastating tsunami which killed almost 150.

A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck off Tonga and the Samoan islands on Friday, two days after a giant tremor caused a devastating tsunami which killed almost 150.

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No immediate tsunami alert was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.

The US Geological Survey said the earthquake, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres (six miles), struck 242 kilometres (151 miles) off Tonga's northwest island of Neiafu.

It was 377 kilometres from American Samoa capital Pago Pago, which was hard-hit by this week's 8.0 earthquake and tsunami.