Suva At 1:18 local time on Monday, a 7.0-magnitude earthquake rocked 79 kilometers southeast of Pangai, Tonga, according to the US Geological Survey.

According to the Xinhua news agency, the US Tsunami Warning Center first warned that dangerous waves would form but then declared that there was no longer a risk of tsunamis.

The epicenter was first identified at 20.495 degrees south latitude and 174.111 degrees west longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Reports of damage or injuries were not immediately available.

Within 300 kilometers (185 miles) of the epicenter, coasts might be impacted by dangerous waves, according to a warning from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

Although the capital, Nuku’alofa, received the full force of the earthquake, a local resident told Xinhua that his home was completely unaffected.

According to the US tsunami warning system, “this earthquake may cause dangerous tsunami waves within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicentre along the coasts of Tonga.”

Reports of damage were not immediately available.

Residents in the high-risk region were advised by the Tonga Meteorological Services to go inland to high ground, sturdy, three-story structures, or tsunami evacuation centers.

“Mariners out at sea are advised to move to deep water away from reefs or coasts and remain there until it is safe,” it said on Facebook.

An evacuation map for the capital, Nuku’alofa, was posted on Facebook by the Tourism Ministry.

The so-called Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanic and seismic zones where tectonic plates clash, is where Pacific island nations like Fiji, Tonga, and Vanuatu are located. This region experiences regular seismic activity.

With slightly over 100,000 inhabitants, Tonga is a Polynesian country made up of 171 islands, the majority of whom live on Tongatapu, the largest island. It is situated almost 3,500 kilometers (2,000 miles) east of the coast of Australia.

The majority of islands have lush tropical rainforests, coral reefs, and white sand beaches.

Lagoons and limestone cliffs round Tongatapu, the largest island. Along with beach resorts, plantations, and the Ha’amonga ‘a Maui, a historic coral stone entrance that dates back to the 1200s, it is home to Nuku’alofa, the kingdom’s rural capital.