NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga, Aug 26, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The Pacific Kingdom of Tonga was
jolted by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake on Monday, the United States Geological
Survey said, as foreign leaders gathered for a key regional summit.

Tonga's seaside capital Nuku'alofa is hosting the Pacific Islands Forum, with
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres among the high-profile
delegates.

Although the quake did not trigger a tsunami warning, some businesses near
the coast briefly evacuated to higher ground.

The offshore tremor -- which struck at a depth of about 106 kilometres (66
miles) -- rattled buildings at the forum's newly built venue.

But it was soon back to business as usual in a city where earthquakes are
relatively common.

Tonga sits atop the seismic Ring of Fire, an arc of intense tectonic activity
that stretches through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Huge swathes of the Tongan archipelago were blanketed in ash and pummelled by
a tsunami after the immense Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai volcanic eruption of
2022.