Pacific

Magnitude 5.9 earthquake registered off Tonga

14:33 pm on 2 November 2009

A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 has struck off northern Tonga.

Seismologists says the quake struck mid morning and was centred 355 kilometres north of Vava'u at a depth of 14 kilometres.

There have been no early reports of damage.

Nine people died five weeks ago when a tsunami hit the northern Tongan island of Niuatoputapu following an 8.0 magnitude earthquake.