Region · live catalogue
Earthquakes in Tonga
In the last 30 days, 13 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater were recorded in Tonga; the largest was a magnitude 5.2 earthquake 93 km NNE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga on 15 Oct 2026.
Data: USGS, GFZ · updated · sources and licences
- 24 hours
- 0
- all magnitudes
- 7 days
- 1
- M2.5+
- 30 days
- 13
- M2.5+
Seismic record
In Tonga, the USGS catalogue lists 418 earthquakes of magnitude 6 or more since 1900 and 1,851 of magnitude 5 or more since 2000, about 69 a year. In the 12 months to 13 Oct 2026 it recorded 363 of magnitude 2.5 or more, all of them magnitude 4 or more.
The largest since 1900: M8.1 on 30 Apr 1919, 166 km ENE of Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga. The most recent of magnitude 5 or more: M5.5 on 12 Oct 2026, 123 km W of Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga.
Counts from the USGS ComCat catalogue (public domain), last compiled 13 Oct 2026. Outside the United States, ComCat is complete from about magnitude 4.5, so smaller local earthquakes may be missing from these counts but appear in the lists below. How these pages are built
Last 24 hours
No earthquakes recorded in Tonga in the last 24 hours.
Earlier this week, magnitude 2.5 and above
| Mag | Location | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 5.1mb | 92 km ENE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga2 agencies |
Largest in the last 30 days
| Mag | Location | Time (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 5.2mb | 93 km NNE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga2 agencies | |
| 5.1mb | 92 km ENE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga2 agencies | |
| 5.1mb | 80 km ENE of 'Ohonua, ʻEua, Tonga2 agencies | |
| 5.0mb | 96 km NNE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga2 agencies | |
| 4.9mb | 89 km SE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga | |
| 4.9mb | 93 km NNE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga | |
| 4.7mb | ‘Ohonua, Tonga | |
| 4.7mb | 137 km N of Neiafu, Vavau, Tonga | |
| 4.6mb | Hihifo, Tonga | |
| 4.6mb | 80 km WNW of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga2 agencies |
Where they occurred
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Largest since 1900
Magnitude 6 and above in Tonga.
Loading the historical catalogue…
Questions
How many earthquakes happen in Tonga?
In the last 30 days, 13 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater were recorded in Tonga, 1 of them in the last 7 days. In the last 24 hours, 0 earthquakes of any magnitude were recorded. Most small earthquakes are not felt.
What was the largest recent earthquake in Tonga?
The largest in the last 30 days was a magnitude 5.2 earthquake 93 km NNE of Hihifo, Niuas, Tonga on 15 Oct 2026, at a depth of 10 km.
What is the largest earthquake recorded in Tonga since 1900?
According to the USGS catalogue, the largest was a magnitude 8.0 earthquake on 4 Jan 1903 (Tonga). Magnitudes of early 20th-century earthquakes are less certain than modern ones.
How deep are earthquakes in Tonga?
77% of the magnitude 2.5+ earthquakes recorded in Tonga in the last 30 days were shallower than 70 km. Shallow earthquakes generally cause stronger shaking at the surface than deep ones of the same magnitude.
Where can I get official earthquake information for Tonga?
For official information, warnings and safety advice, follow your national seismological agency and civil protection authority. This site compiles agency reports and is not a warning service.
Can earthquakes be predicted?
No. Scientists can estimate how likely strong shaking is in a region over years or decades, but no method predicts the time, place and size of a specific earthquake. Aftershocks are expected after large earthquakes and become less frequent over time.