Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands - An earthquake of 7.2 magnitude struck in the Mariana Islands region on Saturday some 375 kilometres (230 miles) west of the US territory of Guam, US geologists said.
However, the Northern Marianas emergency management office said there were no reports of damage in the island nation, which stretches between Hawaii and the Philippines.
The quake struck at 7:19 am (2119 GMT Friday), with its epicentre at a depth of just 4.7 kilometres, the US Geological Survey said.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said there was no indication of any tsunami.
No tremor was felt in Saipan, the largest island in the Northern Mariana Islands chain, nor in Hagatna, the capital of neighbouring Guam.
An aftershock measured at 6.3 magnitude hit the island chain at a depth of nine kilometres some 10 hours later but did not trigger a tsunami warning. - Sapa-AFP