An earthquake measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale struck off the south Pacific kingdom of Tonga on Saturday evening, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

There were no reports of casualties or damages.

The quake, occurred at 09:52 p.m. Tonga local time (08:52 GMT Saturday), was centered 445 km northeast of Nuke'Alofa, the Tongan capital. It was at a depth of 37.1 km.

No tsunami alert has been issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii.

Nine people died in September last year, when a tsunami triggered by three powerful earthquakes in quick succession, hit a northern Tongan island.