![\"Tonga](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/4JR92SU_tonga_police_jpg.jpeg\")
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\nTonga Police were assisting the public during the tsunami alert following a 7.6 magnitude earthquake.
\nPhoto: Tonga Police\n<\/p>\n
A tsunami alert has now been lifted for all of Tonga after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake on Tuesday evening.<\/p>\n
The very deep quake did not trigger an alert for New Zealand or the rest of the Pacific but there was a precautionary one in place for Tonga.<\/p>\n
While the warning later lifted for most of Tonga, it remained in place for the island group that was closest to the earthquake.<\/p>\n
Officials now say there is no threat to the country.<\/p>\n
The 7.6 magnitude quake hit just after 5.30pm (NZDT) about 130 kilometres off the coast of Vava’u at a depth of 237 kilometres.<\/p>\n
A Tonga government official in Vava’u said the earthquake that struck the kingdom had not caused significant damage.<\/p>\n
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said a tsunami was not expected.<\/p>\n
“There is no tsunami threat because the earthquake is located too deep inside the earth,” PTWC said.<\/p>\n
However, Tonga’s National Emergency Operation Centre put out an urgent tsunami alert for the country.<\/p>\n
The officer in charge of the group for the environment and disaster ministry, Lucy Faanunu, said there was no significant damage in Neiafu on the main island in the group.<\/p>\n
She said she was driving home from work when the quake struck.<\/p>\n
“When I was driving it was shaking the steering wheel was shaking like left, right, left right.<\/p>\n
“And then when I arrived home my son said ‘Mum did you feel the earthquake? Because it was quite long!'” Faanunu said.<\/p>\n
She said as a precaution against any potential tsunami waves, people have been told to move to higher ground and stay there until an official all clear was given.<\/p>\n
RNZ Pacific’s correspondent in Nuku’alofa Kalafi Moala said he had experienced many quakes in Tonga but this one felt different.<\/p>\n
“This was a long one. Probably the longest I have experienced here. And now the sirens are going and there’s announcements that people should quickly evacuate to higher ground.”<\/p>\n
New Zealand’s National Emergency Management Agency assessed the tsunami risk and decided there was no threat to Aotearoa.<\/p>\n