Earthquake of 5.3 Magnitude Hits Tonga Islands in South Pacific

An earthquake measuring 5.3 magnitude on the Richter scale struck the Tonga Islands in the South Pacific on Monday. The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred 94 kilometers east of Neiafu, at a depth of 10 kilometers. No casualties or material damage have been reported as a result of the earthquake so far. Tonga is an archipelago of 176 islands scattered in the South Pacific, of which only 52 are inhabited, located in northwest New Zealand and Australia. Source: Qatar News Agency