A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck near the Mariana Islands Friday morning, the United States Geological Survey is reporting.
The notable quake was recorded just after 6 a.m. local time (4 p.m. ET Thursday), according to the USGS, in the Maug Islands region near Saipan, the northern-most largest of the Mariana Island.
The Mariana Islands are in the western Pacific Ocean north of the equator, northeast of Guam and are part of the United States.
It was not immediately known if anyone was injured.
But as of late Friday morning no tsunami warning, advisory, watch or threat had been issued in the area by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration or National Weather Service.
Notable quake, preliminary info: M 6.8 – Maug Islands region, Northern Mariana Islands https://t.co/vIPOmOyQTs
— USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) April 5, 2024
Data provided by USGS showed the earthquake registered about 132 miles deep.
According to the USGS forecast, at least one aftershock is expected to take place within the next week.