Litia Cava 
[ Source: Fiji Seismology ]
A tsunami warning for Fiji has been lifted following a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Tonga.
The earthquake struck at 12:18 this morning, 176 km northeast of Nukuálofa, at a depth of 45 km. Initially, a tsunami watch was issued at 12:53 AM, followed by a tsunami advisory at 1:22 AM.
However, by 1:40 AM, the tsunami warning was canceled for Fiji after the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center updated its report.
The earthquake hit 79 km southeast of the village of Pangai in Tonga and warnings were also extended to Niue.
The US tsunami warning system had said that tsunami waves of up to 1 meter above normal tide levels could affect parts of Tonga and Niue. It also warned that dangerous waves could spread within 300 km of the epicenter along Tonga’s coasts.
After the warning was issued, people in Tonga were told to stay away from beaches and move to higher ground especially those living in low-lying coastal areas.
Many people in the Kingdom posted on social media, sharing their experiences of their houses shaking.
Despite the warnings, the tsunami watch was lifted for Tonga as well as the situation was reassessed.
Tonga is located on the Ring of Fire, an area known for frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.
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