According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the temblor struck 85 miles northeast of Nuku’alofa, the capital of Tonga, followed by aftershocks registering 5.1 and 5.6 on the Richter scale. There was no tsunami alert afterward. More:

“There were no immediate reports of damage from the quake which was felt with a moderate intensity in Tongatapu and Ha’apai.

The quake was felt at at 01.47:16 am local time [Wednesday] in Tonga.

The quake woke residents in Nuku’alofa and in Pangai, some of whom ran outside. There were no immediate reports of damage. Dogs barked while houses and shelves rattled for a few seconds.”

The initial alarm upon hearing the news is understandable, though: That side of the world, of course, is notorious for its seismic activity, as the geographic pattern of the world’s worst earthquakes in history tells us.

(Location map: U.S. Geological Survey)