A powerful magnitude-7.6 earthquake struck off the northwest coast of Hihifo Island, Tonga, in the South Pacific Ocean around 05:02 TOT May 11. There is a high risk of significant damage and casualties due to the depth of the earthquake, which was about 210 km (130 miles). The tremor was likely strongly felt near the epicenter and lightly felt in Niue, Samoa, and American Samoa. There have been no reports of damage or casualties yet, but it could take some time to assess the full extent of the damage, especially in remote areas.

A magnitude-5.1 aftershock occurred around 05:32 May 11, and more strong-to-mderate aftershocks are expected in the coming days. Authorities may temporarily shut down transportation infrastructure in the affected zone to assess damage, and utility outages are possible in the vicinity of the epicenter. As a precautionary measure, people should consider leaving multistory buildings that experienced shaking until their structural safety is confirmed. It's crucial to monitor and plan for aftershocks.