Desk Correspondent , Kathmandu - The earth shook violently beneath the South Pacific on Tuesday as a powerful 7.6 magnitude earthquake struck near Neiafu in Tonga, sending tremors across the island archipelago. But what could have triggered a catastrophic tsunami was neutralised by one remarkable geological factor: the quake's extraordinary depth. Occurring more than 237 kilometres below the ocean floor, the seismic event was too deep to displace the ocean surface, sparing the region from a potentially devastating wave.

According to the United States Geological Survey(USGS), the earthquake struck at 04:37 UTC at a depth of 237.5 kilometres, with its epicentre 153 kilometres west of Neiafu on the island of Vava'u. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) swiftly confirmed there was no tsunami alert, attributing this to the quake's exceptional depth. No casualties or structural damage were immediately reported. Tuesday's earthquake came just 24 hours after a 6.2 magnitude tremor rattled Hihifo on Monday at a depth of 79.7 kilometres, considerably shallower, but again without reported damage. The back-to-back events underline the relentless seismic reality of Tonga, which sits atop the convergence of the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates. Meanwhile, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake struck Nepal's Sudurpaschim Province on Monday afternoon, with its epicentre in the Rayal area of Bajhang district. Residents in neighbouring Bajura and Baitadi also felt the tremors. No casualties or damage were reported. This follows a similar 4.0 magnitude quake in Darchula district on March 17. Nepal sitting in Seismic Zones IV and V, ranks 11th globally among earthquake prone countries, with the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates making it perpetually vulnerable.

Tuesday's 7.6 magnitude earthquake was, by any measure, a serious seismic event. That no tsunami followed and no casualties have been reported is fortunate and largely attributable to the quake's extreme depth. But the twin earthquakes in Tonga and Nepal within 24 hours are a stark reminder that communities along the world's most active fault lines face not occasional risk, but a permanent one.