Strong to damaging gale force winds, and scattered thunderstorms, with heavy rain, will affect the Tongatapu, Vava'u, Ha'apai, and 'Eua group by today, until the weekend, Tonga Meteorology forecasts.
An upgrade to Tonga’s Seismic Network will cover five strategically positioned stations at Nukuhetulu, Tongatapu; Mt. Talau Vava’u; Hihifo, Ha’apai; Niuafo’ou High School, Niuafo’ou; and Hihifo. Niuatoputapu, where upgrades to infrastructure will help to better monitor and detect earthquakes. The work is being funded by the World Bank through the Pacific Resilience Program
A 6.3 magnitude earthquake, located close to Vava'u and felt in Nuku’alofa at 11:12am this morning, Friday 19 January 2024, is posing no tsunami threat, Tonga Meteorological Service, advised.