NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga, May 4 - A powerful undersea earthquake rocked the islands
of Tonga on Thursday, generating a small tsunami and sparking fears across the
South Pacific of a major disaster, but there were no reports of damage.
The 7.9 earthquake at a depth of 55 km (34 miles) struck 160 km (100 miles)
south of Tonga's Neiafu island at 4.26 a.m. local time (1526 GMT), said the U.S.
Geological Survey. The centre had earlier said the quake had measured 8.1 and
was shallower.
"Sea level readings indicate a tsunami was generated," said the Pacific
Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii. "It may have been destructive along coasts
near the earthquake epicentre."
The tsunami was estimated at about only half a metre, with tide gauges in
Pago Pago, Samoa and Niue showing a small rise.
But fear spread in the region of a major tsunami similar to the 2004 disaster
that left more than 230,000 people dead or missing across large parts of Asia.
Several hotels in Fiji moved tourists to higher ground and coastal residents in
New Zealand abandoned their homes.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami warning for
Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, New Zealand and other small island states, cancelling the
alert after a few hours.
Incorrect media reports that the tsunami was heading towards New Zealand saw
scores of residents in Gisborne, on the east coast of the country's North
Island, head for higher ground.
"I'm actually due to have a baby, so we thought we better be organised,"
Gisborne woman Kelly Cullen, whose family drove to higher ground, told local
media.
The earthquake rocked Tonga's capital Nuku'alofa, temporarily cutting power,
but caused no major damage or injuries. Residents said the quake, the worst in
20 years, lasted about 30 seconds.
"I was in bed when I woke up to the room shaking, I thought I was having a
bad dream. When I got out of bed, I was thrown against the wall," said Andrew
Stainlay in Nuku'alofa.
