Apia: A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck an area in the South Pacific Ocean near the island nation of Samoa on Friday. The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake occurred 440 kilometers southwest of the Samoan capital, Apia, at a depth of 314 kilometers.

According to Qatar News Agency, there were no immediate reports of injuries or damage resulting from the earthquake. The US Tsunami Warning System did not issue a tsunami warning in response to the seismic event.

Samoa is situated on the "Ring of Fire," an arc of seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions frequently occur. The region has a history of significant seismic activity, including two major earthquakes in 2009 that struck midway between Samoa and American Samoa, a US territory. Those earthquakes triggered tsunamis that resulted in the deaths of at least 192 people across Samoa, American Samoa, and Tonga.