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== PRELIMINARY EARTHQUAKE REPORT ==

***This event supersedes event AT 00000499.


Region: TONGA
Geographic coordinates: 20.035S, 174.227W
Magnitude: 8.0 Mw
Depth: 16 km
Universal Time (UTC): 3 May 2006 15:26:35
Time near the Epicenter: 4 May 2006 04:26:35
Local time in your area: 3 May 2006 16:26:35

Location with respect to nearby cities:
156 km (97 miles) S (189 degrees) of Neiafu, Tonga
162 km (101 miles) NE (40 degrees) of NUKU'ALOFA, Tonga
465 km (289 miles) WSW (255 degrees) of Niue Island
2609 km (1621 miles) W (260 degrees) of PAPEETE, Tahiti, French Polynesia


This event has been reviewed by a seismologist at NEIC
For subsequent updates, maps, and technical information, see:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/rec ... usmgas.php
or
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/

National Earthquake Information Center
U.S. Geological Survey
http://neic.usgs.gov

Tsunami watch has been extended throughtout the entire Pacific basin.

THIS BULLETIN IS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE PACIFIC BASIN EXCEPT
ALASKA - BRITISH COLUMBIA - WASHINGTON - OREGON - CALIFORNIA.

... A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT ...

A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR

TONGA / NIUE / AMERICAN SAMOA / SAMOA / WALLIS-FUTUNA / FIJI

FOR ALL OTHER PACIFIC AREAS, THIS MESSAGE IS AN ADVISORY ONLY.

AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS

ORIGIN TIME - 1527Z 03 MAY 2006
COORDINATES - 19.9 SOUTH 174.2 WEST
LOCATION - TONGA ISLANDS
MAGNITUDE - 7.8

EVALUATION

IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WARNING IS
BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS
SIZE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN
STRIKE COASTLINES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES
TO HOURS. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY. THIS CENTER WILL CONTINUE
TO MONITOR SEA LEVEL GAUGES NEAREST THE REGION AND REPORT IF ANY
TSUNAMI WAVE ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED. THE WARNING WILL NOT EXPAND
TO OTHER AREAS OF THE PACIFIC UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED
TO WARRANT SUCH AN EXPANSION.

ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES. ACTUAL ARRIVAL TIMES
MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE LARGEST. THE TIME
BETWEEN SUCCESSIVE TSUNAMI WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.

LOCATION COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
-------------------------------- ------------ ------------
TONGA NUKUALOFA 21.0S 175.2W 1551Z 03 MAY
NIUE NIUE IS. 19.0S 170.0W 1557Z 03 MAY
AMERICAN SAMOA PAGO PAGO 14.3S 170.7W 1620Z 03 MAY
SAMOA APIA 13.8S 171.8W 1622Z 03 MAY
WALLIS-FUTUNA WALLIS IS. 13.2S 176.2W 1643Z 03 MAY
FIJI SUVA 18.5S 178.5E 1704Z 03 MAY

BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

i heard from my friend that there is a strong earthquake expected in summer back home, it is scary, hope everything will be ok.