A powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck in seas off Tonga and the Samoan islands
today, two days after a giant tremor and devastating tsunami killed 150 people.
No immediate tsunami alert was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre in Hawaii and Australian experts said the tremor was likely too small to create another deadly wave.
"I don't think there is a particular tsunami danger from that earthquake," Geoscience Australia seismologist Phil Cummins told AFP.
The US Geological Survey said the earthquake, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometres, struck 242 kilometres off Tonga's northwest island of Neiafu.
The epicentre was 377km from American Samoa capital Pago Pago, which was hard-hit by this week's 8.0 earthquake and tsunami.
Dozens of aftershocks have rocked the region since giant waves smashed the South Pacific islands on Wednesday, obliterating villages and tourist resorts in Samoa and
American Samoa.
Nine Tongans were killed when the tsunami swamped itsoutlying island of Niuatoputapu, causing widespread devastation.
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