earthquakes

A 6.9 magnitude at the depth of 10 kilometres and was located 279km southeast of the Loyalty Islands around 8am local time.

A second 4.5 magnitude earthquake struck about an hour and a half later, 263km southeast of the Loyalty Islands.

No tsunami alert has been launched and no injuries or damage has been reported.

The first earthquake was originally reported to be a 6.7 magnitude earthquake but the USGS upgraded it to a 6.9 not long after.

Tonga Meteorological Services Office said these are felt earthquakes and earthquakes that were not felt but has magnitudes which are greater than or equal to four.

The highest magnitude for earthquakes detected by monitoring system in July was 5.4 which was a felt event, and the lowest was 4.0.

Nineteen were shallow-focus earthquakes with an average magnitude of 4.7, 9 were intermediate focus earthquakes with 4.7 average magnitude and 13 were deep-focus earthquakes with 4.3 average magnitude

The most severe quake measured 6.5 on the Richter Scale and struck on 24 April about 223km WNW of Pangai.

A second strong one of magnitude 6.4 was reported on 26 April about 199km WSW of Nuku’alofa.

According to Tonga Geological Services monthly report, the earthquakes were not significant in that they did not produce damage or generate tsunami waves.

The area surrounding the island nation of Tonga is very geographically active.

According to the latest Geological Service Bulletin, these are felt earthquakes and earthquakes that were not felt but have magnitudes which are greater than or equal to four.

There were 30 shallow-focus earthquakes with an average magnitude of 4.8.

Three were intermediate focus earthquakes with 4.6 average magnitude and 16 were deep-focus earthquakes with 4.5 average magnitude.

Tonga Geological Service said 7 were felt earthquakes but their magnitudes and depths were unknown.

Another powerful quake struck near Kirakira this morning - a 6.7 magnitude quake at a depth of 33km.

The undersea quake hit 71km west of the city of Kirakira, which is on the country's biggest island, Makira.

National Disaster Management Office director Loti Yates said there was no tsunami threat from this morning's quake but he was expecting more reports of damage.

Mr Yates said multiple quakes of magnitude 5 and above have hampered relief operations still under way in the Makira area.

Luca Ceriscioli said quakes and snow had caused landslides and thousands of families were suffering power cuts, with some villages left isolated.

A man was killed and another reported missing in the nearby Abruzzo region.

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker vowed EU solidarity with Italy after the tremors.

Marche was one of the regions worst hit by the earthquake of 24 August, with 46 of its 298 victims losing their lives in a single mountain village there, Pescara del Tronto.

The Kyodo news agency says about 40 people are being treated at a hospital in Kumamoto, some of them seriously injured, and the government says at least 19 buildings have collapsed. At least two deaths occurred in the town of Mashiki, where the shaking was most severe. The town lies 15km east of Kumamoto.

MyShake, available on Android phones, links users to become an all-in-one earthquake warning system; it records quake-type rumblings, ties a critical number of users to a location, and could eventually provide a countdown to the start of shaking.