A 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit on Friday near Samoa's southwestern shores in the Pacific, as per the United States Geological Survey. The quake was noted at 12:37 pm (2337 GMT Thursday), occurring 314 kilometers (195 miles) beneath the surface and over 400 kilometers from Samoa's southwestern coast, according to AFP, citing USGS. The US tsunami warning agency indicated there was "no tsunami threat."
The South Pacific often experiences earthquakes because of its position along the seismic "Ring of Fire," a "zone of significant tectonic activity that spans Southeast Asia and the Pacific basin." While these quakes rarely cause major damage in sparsely populated areas, they can trigger severe landslides.
