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M5.0 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-05-16 06:28:36 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands on May 16, 2026 at 06:28 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-16 06:28:36 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-15.39000, -174.74000
Temperature
27.8°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
Mata-Utu280.8 kmNW1'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 55 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 79 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Niuafo'ou
    Distance: 98 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
  • Dugong
    Distance: 106 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 111 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 117 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#37
Earlier events M≥476
Earlier events M≥541
Compared since2025-01-08

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.62025-07-24 23:37:57 UTC130.2 km M6.62025-07-24 23:37:56 UTC123.2 km176 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.62025-07-24 23:37:55 UTC133.1 km167 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.62025-07-24 23:37:55 UTC134.2 km165 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.12026-04-19 17:34:49 UTC111.2 kmTonga Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
593
Country (24h)
—
—
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