Tsunami threat subsides after quake : Mail & Guardian Online
A small tsunami was generated off the Pacific islands of Niue and Pago Pago following an 8.0-magnitude quake in Tonga, but the threat to New Zealand and Fiji was subsiding, United States monitors said on Wednesday.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, which issued a warning following the 8.0 temblor that struck at 4.26am local time on Thursday (3.26pm GMT on Wednesday), said a half-metre tsunami welled up in the Pacific but that it did not appear to be destructive.
Earlier, monitors had issued a tsunami warning for New Zealand and Fiji.
There were few early reports of injury or damage in Tonga, although a hotel guest hurt his leg when he jumped from a third-floor window.
"He was the only tourist injured. He jumped from his room, maybe he was afraid," said William Vea, the night receptionist at the Pacific Royale hotel.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had called on New Zealand and Fiji to take immediate action against a possible giant wave caused by the quake.
The epicentre was 155km south of Neiafu island and 160km north-east of Nuku'Alofa, the main island of Tonga, the United States Geological Survey said.
The quake was recorded 16km below the Earth's surface, a relatively shallow distance that increases the likelihood of a tsunami.
"We have a tsunami warning for Fiji and New Zealand and for the rest of the Pacific we have a tsunami watch," said Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre oceanographer Nathan Becker earlier on Wednesday evening. "That means a tsunami is likely and New Zealand and Fiji should take the appropriate action."
There was no immediate evidence a tsunami had been generated, although the scale of the quake suggested there was a strong possibility. Becker stressed that it was not known whether a tidal wave had formed or what the expected magnitude of any such tsunami would be.
"We are determining the situation as we have an earthquake with the right conditions to produce a tsunami, but we don't know yet whether one was generated," Becker explained.
The quake was the largest recorded by the USGS since an 8,6 temblor off the Indonesian island of Sumatra in March 2005.
On December 26 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck off the Indonesian province of Aceh, unleashing a tsunami that killed 220 000 people around the Indian Ocean, most in Aceh. -- AFP
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre, which issued a warning following the 8.0 temblor that struck at 4.26am local time on Thursday (3.26pm GMT on Wednesday), said a half-metre tsunami welled up in the Pacific but that it did not appear to be destructive.
Earlier, monitors had issued a tsunami warning for New Zealand and Fiji.
There were few early reports of injury or damage in Tonga, although a hotel guest hurt his leg when he jumped from a third-floor window.
"He was the only tourist injured. He jumped from his room, maybe he was afraid," said William Vea, the night receptionist at the Pacific Royale hotel.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre had called on New Zealand and Fiji to take immediate action against a possible giant wave caused by the quake.
The epicentre was 155km south of Neiafu island and 160km north-east of Nuku'Alofa, the main island of Tonga, the United States Geological Survey said.
The quake was recorded 16km below the Earth's surface, a relatively shallow distance that increases the likelihood of a tsunami.
"We have a tsunami warning for Fiji and New Zealand and for the rest of the Pacific we have a tsunami watch," said Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre oceanographer Nathan Becker earlier on Wednesday evening. "That means a tsunami is likely and New Zealand and Fiji should take the appropriate action."
There was no immediate evidence a tsunami had been generated, although the scale of the quake suggested there was a strong possibility. Becker stressed that it was not known whether a tidal wave had formed or what the expected magnitude of any such tsunami would be.
"We are determining the situation as we have an earthquake with the right conditions to produce a tsunami, but we don't know yet whether one was generated," Becker explained.
The quake was the largest recorded by the USGS since an 8,6 temblor off the Indonesian island of Sumatra in March 2005.
On December 26 2004, an earthquake measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale struck off the Indonesian province of Aceh, unleashing a tsunami that killed 220 000 people around the Indian Ocean, most in Aceh. -- AFP
posted by DP at 12:19 PM
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