Magnitude 7.6 earthquake strikes off Tonga: USGS

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck off the Pacific island nation of Tonga on Tuesday, the United States Geological Survey said.

The quake hit at a depth of 237 kilometres (147 miles) roughly 150 kilometres west of Tonga's second-largest town of Neiafu, the USGS said.

It did not trigger a tsunami alert.