An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.6 hit the Mariana Islands region yesterday, a week after a 7.2 tremor and a series of strong aftershocks.
The AAP news agency quotes United States geologists as saying the latest quake struck at 7.33pm at a depth of 49 kilometres and was centred 505 kilometres from the Northern Marianas capital Saipan.
The US Geological Survey says there have been more than 10 quakes of magnitude 5.0 or stronger since the powerful quake on August 14, but all were in a remote area of the Pacific Ocean and well away from populated areas.
