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M5.1 Depth: 50.4 km

M5.1 Earthquake near TONGA

UTC time: 2026-03-29 23:45:14 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.1 earthquake was recorded near TONGA on March 29, 2026 at 23:45 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 50 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

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

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
50.4 km
UTC time
2026-03-29 23:45:14 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-16.41340, -173.66740
Temperature
28.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 50.4 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 50.4 km
Shallow
50.4 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
Apia352.0 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tafahi
    Distance: 63 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 88 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 122 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 131 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 146 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Fonualei
    Distance: 192 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 188 m ·Last eruption: 1957 ·Tonga

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours0
First 24 hours0
First 72 hours0
Strongest subsequent eventM6.3
M5.22026-04-03 02:49:55 UTC74.1 kmTonga Islands M5.12026-04-03 02:49:56 UTC86.5 kmEvent of magnitude 5.1, near of Nouméa (Monde) M5.02026-04-03 02:49:59 UTC81.5 kmTonga Islands M4.82026-04-03 02:50:12 UTC66.6 kmTONGA M4.82026-04-18 09:32:01 UTC136.1 kmTONGA M5.02026-04-18 09:32:02 UTC103.6 kmTonga Islands M5.42026-04-19 17:34:45 UTC125.9 kmEvent of magnitude 5.4, near Nouméa (Monde) M6.12026-04-19 17:34:47 UTC143.3 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) SW (az= 235.3) from San Miguel Is., CA M6.32026-04-19 17:34:47 UTC142.5 kmTonga Islands [Sea: Tonga] M6.12026-04-19 17:34:49 UTC133.9 kmTonga Islands

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#38
Earlier events M≥4108
Earlier events M≥557
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.32026-03-22 15:30:40 UTC123.8 kmTonga Islands M6.32026-03-22 15:28:08 UTC131.0 kmTonga [Sea] M6.32026-03-22 06:15:47 UTC137.0 kmTonga [Sea] M6.22026-03-22 06:15:36 UTC132.5 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) SW (az= 234.7) from San Miguel Is., CA M6.12026-03-22 15:27:57 UTC130.0 kmTonga Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
602
Country (24h)
—
—
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