6.6 magnitude earthquake strikes near Samoa: Tremor's epicentre deep below Pacific; No tsunami threat, says USGS

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake struck on Friday near the southwestern shores of Samoa in the Pacific, according to the United States Geological Survey.

The seismic event was recorded at 12:37 pm (2337 GMT Thursday), occurring 314 kilometres (195 miles) below the surface and over 400 kilometres from Samoa's southwestern coastline, as reported by AFP, quoting USGS.

The US tsunami warning agency stated there was "no tsunami threat".

The South Pacific region frequently experiences earthquakes due to its location along the seismic "Ring of Fire" - a zone of significant tectonic activity extending through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

Whilst these events rarely cause extensive damage in areas with low population density, they possess the potential to set off devastating landslides.