A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck Sunday near Tonga, a nation of more than 170 islands in the South Pacific Ocean.

A 7.0-magnitude earthquake jolted 79 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga, at 1:18 local time on Monday, the US Geological Survey said.

The earthquake hit at a depth of 29km (18 miles) and was around 73km (45 miles) south east of the village of Pangai

A magnitude 7 earthquake struck in the hours of the Monday morning centred 79 kilometres south-southeast of Pangai in the Ha'apai group of islands.

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck 90 kilometers (56 miles) southeast of the village of Pangai in the Pacific island nation of Tonga, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said on Saturday. The disaster took place at 3.18 a.m. local time (1218GMT), according to the USGS.

A 7.1 magnitude earthquake is a significant event, with the potential to cause considerable destruction. The tremors from this earthquake were felt strongly in Tonga, where approximately 100,000 inhabitants reside.

An earthquake of magnitude 7.1 hit the Tonga Islands on Sunday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

On a calm Monday morning, a powerful reminder of nature's unpredictability shook Tonga, as a 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck just 79 km SSE of Pangai. The earthquake, occurring at 01:18 local time (12:18 GMT Sunday),