M7.0 Depth: 235.0 km

M7.0 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-03-24 04:37:51 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M7.0 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands on March 24, 2026 at 04:37 UTC. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 235 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can cause significant damage in populated areas.

The event was recorded by USP.

Details

Magnitude
M7.0
Depth
235.0 km
UTC time
2026-03-24 04:37:51 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
usp
Coordinates
-18.66502, -175.73273

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 235 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 235 km
Intermediate
235 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Nuku'alofa280.4 kmS22'400

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Home Reef
    Distance: 107 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga
  • Lateiki
    Distance: 107 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Late
    Distance: 115 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 540 m ·Last eruption: 1854 ·Tonga
  • Kao
    Distance: 135 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'009 m ·Last eruption: 1847 ·Tonga
  • Tofua
    Distance: 139 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 515 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga
  • Tofua Arc at 18.3°S
    Distance: 149 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 250 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours4
Strongest subsequent eventM5.5

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 250 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥4175
Earlier events M≥530
Compared since2025-01-01

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
601
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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