1st LD Writethru: 6.4-magnitude undersea quake rocks Fiji, Tonga

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake hit waters off Fiji on Friday afternoon local time, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) said.

The epicenter of the quake which struck at 4:08 p.m. local time (0408GMT) from a depth of 572.1 kilometers was traced 19 kilometers south of Fiji's Ndoi island, or 362 kilometers west of Nuku'alofa, capital of Tonga, according to the USGS.

The Hawaii- based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center did not immediately issue a tsunami warning based on the quake.

There was no immediate report of casualty or damage.

Pacific island countries such as Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu lie on the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of earthquake and volcanic zones where continental plates collide producing frequent seismic activities. Endit