A magnitude 7.6 earthquake shakes the waters of Tonga in the South Pacific

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake shook the waters of the Tonga archipelago in the South Pacific on Wednesday, without a tsunami warning having been issued.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS), which records seismic activity around the world, has located the tremor at a depth of 210 kilometers below the seabed.

The shock occurred at 5:00 am (4:00 pm GMT on Wednesday) and 95 kilometers west of the city of Hihifo, on the island of Niuatoputapu, and 660 kilometers northwest of Nuku'alufa, the capital of Tonga.

The Pacific Tsunami Alert Center has not issued any alarm for the risk of a giant wave.

Tonga is located in the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the areas of the planet with the greatest seismic activity and where tremors of different intensity occur daily.