The Pacific Kingdom of Tonga was shaken by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Monday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremor occurred just as foreign leaders assembled in the country for a crucial regional summit, the Pacific Islands Forum.
Tonga’s coastal capital, Nuku’alofa, was hosting the forum, with notable attendees including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. While the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami warning, some businesses located near the coast briefly evacuated to higher ground as a precautionary measure.
The offshore tremor, which struck at a depth of approximately 106 kilometers (66 miles), caused buildings at the forum’s newly constructed venue to shake. However, the event was relatively short-lived, and the forum resumed its activities soon after. Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Tonga, which sits on the seismically active Ring of Fire.
The Ring of Fire is an arc of intense tectonic activity that stretches from Southeast Asia across the Pacific basin. This region is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to the interaction of tectonic plates.
Tonga’s recent experience with the immense Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha’apai volcanic eruption in 2022, which resulted in a devastating tsunami and widespread ash fall across the archipelago, serves as a stark reminder of the region’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
