Tsunami warnings have been issued for Fiji and New Zealand after a earthquake of 7.8 magnitude shook the Pacific Ocean.
The quake's epicenter was about 153 miles off the coast of Tonga.
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued the alert for Tonga, Niue, American Samoa, Samoa, Fiji, and Wallis-Futuna.
If a tsunami does occur, it could start to affect the islands by as early as 12:15pm (Minnesota time).
We'll post updates...
This new report suggests that any tsunamis generated by the quake are not likely to be dangerous.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center's instruments indicated a possibility of small tsunamis, with waves of less than two feet, in areas close to the earthquake.
Want to know more about the tsunami warning system?
A 6.0 magnitude aftershock hit Tonga today.
This article from the Associated Press details some scary failures of the Tsunami Warning System...
Science Buzz is supported by the National Science Foundation.
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