A strong 7.1-magnitude earthquake has struck near Tonga, triggering a tsunami warning for the Pacific island nation.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake struck about 100 kilometres northeast of the main island in the early hours of Monday morning, local time, The Independent reports.
The earthquake was at a depth of 16 km.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued an alert saying that dangerous waves may be possible on coasts located within 300 kilometers of the epicenter.
Tonga is a country in Polynesia consisting of 171 islands with a population of just over 100,000 people, most of whom live on the main island of Tongatapu.
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Japan hit by 7.1 magnitude earthquake
It is more than 3,500 kilometers from the east coast of Australia.
Sunday's quake follows a 7.7-magnitude quake that struck central Burma on Friday and also caused powerful tremors in neighboring China and Thailand.
