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M5.6 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near 156 km ENE of Neiafu, Tonga

UTC time: 2025-08-14 04:38:14 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.6 earthquake was recorded near 156 km ENE of Neiafu, Tonga on August 14, 2025 at 04:38 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

Magnitude
M5.6
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2025-08-14 04:38:14 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-18.37160, -172.52780
Temperature
24.1°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Alofi284.9 kmE624

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Fonualei
    Distance: 193 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 188 m ·Last eruption: 1957 ·Tonga
  • Tofua Arc at 18.3°S
    Distance: 194 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Late
    Distance: 229 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 540 m ·Last eruption: 1854 ·Tonga
  • Home Reef
    Distance: 247 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -10 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Tonga
  • Lateiki
    Distance: 262 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 43 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Kao
    Distance: 299 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'009 m ·Last eruption: 1847 ·Tonga

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥410
Earlier events M≥53
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.12025-03-23 23:36:23 UTC111.2 km176 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga M5.02025-04-16 07:30:18 UTC43.4 km135 km E of Neiafu, Tonga M5.02025-02-05 20:15:07 UTC79.1 km142 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga M4.92025-01-07 09:06:56 UTC99.4 km98 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga M4.82025-01-05 21:08:14 UTC137.6 km136 km ENE of Fangale’ounga, Tonga

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
583
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
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