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M5.0 Depth: 143.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-05-03 12:09:48 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On May 3, 2026 at 12:09 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near Tonga Islands. At around 143 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by GFZ and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
143.0 km
UTC time
2026-05-03 12:09:48 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-16.97000, -174.25000
Temperature
26.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 143 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 143 km
Intermediate
143 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
Apia438.7 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Fonualei
    Distance: 117 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 188 m ·Last eruption: 1957 ·Tonga
  • Tafahi
    Distance: 135 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Tofua Arc at 18.3°S
    Distance: 151 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -40 m ·Last eruption: 2019 ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 162 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 178 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 180 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#19
Earlier events M≥479
Earlier events M≥527
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.02026-03-08 09:28:26 UTC105.3 kmTonga Islands M5.62026-03-08 09:28:28 UTC127.0 kmEvent of magnitude 5.6, near of Nouméa (Monde) M5.42026-03-29 23:45:14 UTC85.3 kmTonga Islands M5.42025-06-29 01:56:15 UTC90.9 kmTonga Islands M5.42025-06-16 06:17:13 UTC14.6 kmTonga Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
592
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
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No recent events available.

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