Phivolcs allays fears of tsunami from Tonga quake

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology on Sunday allayed fears of a tsunami coming from the magnitude-6.5 quake that hit Tonga. "No destructive Pacific-wide threat exists based on the historical and tsunami data. However, earthquakes of this size sometimes generate local tsunamis that can be destructive along coasts located within a hundred kilometers of the epicenter," said the Phivolcs. Phivolcs added the quake occurred at 2:54 a.m. Philippine time, with a depth of 10 km and a preliminary magnitude of 6.5. The United State Geological Survey, meanwhile, measured the quake at magnitude 6.4, at 2:53 a.m. It said the epicenter was: - 152 km east-southeast of Neiafu, Tonga - 345 km northeast of Nuku`alofa, Tonga - 571 km south-southwest of Tafuna, American Samoa - 578 km south-southwest of Pago Pago, American Samoa - 596 km south of Apia, Samoa USGS also said a magnitude-5.4 quake was recorded at 3:05 a.m. at 148 km east-southeast of Neiafu, Tonga,  — DVM, GMA News