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M5.1 Depth: 28.0 km

M5.1 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-03-01 06:38:45 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On March 1, 2026 at 06:38 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near Tonga Islands. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 28 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.1
Depth
28.0 km
UTC time
2026-03-01 06:38:45 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-16.86000, -173.16000
Temperature
28.8°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 28 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 28 km
Shallow
28 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
Apia368.2 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tafahi
    Distance: 128 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 148 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Fonualei
    Distance: 178 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 188 m ·Last eruption: 1957 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 189 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 201 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 206 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·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 eventM6.0
M5.22026-03-07 00:44:53 UTC113.4 kmSamoa Islands Region M4.92026-03-07 18:04:13 UTC117.2 km M6.02026-03-08 09:28:26 UTC112.7 kmTonga Islands M5.62026-03-08 09:28:28 UTC135.0 kmEvent of magnitude 5.6, near of Nouméa (Monde) M5.12026-03-11 15:10:48 UTC56.8 kmSamoa Islands Region M5.92026-03-22 22:26:14 UTC145.3 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) SW (az= 234.4) from San Miguel Is., CA M5.12026-03-23 08:44:29 UTC129.2 kmSamoa Islands region M5.42026-03-27 23:35:09 UTC129.7 km M5.02026-03-29 23:45:10 UTC65.0 kmEvent of magnitude 5.0, near of Nouméa (Monde) M5.42026-03-29 23:45:14 UTC56.5 kmTonga Islands M5.12026-03-29 23:45:14 UTC73.4 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#13
Earlier events M≥462
Earlier events M≥523
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.42025-08-23 15:49:54 UTC131.0 kmTonga Islands Region M5.42025-06-29 01:56:15 UTC119.7 kmTonga Islands M5.42025-06-16 06:17:13 UTC107.6 kmTonga Islands M5.32026-01-19 06:42:05 UTC111.2 kmTonga Islands M5.32025-04-12 03:16:35 UTC84.4 km74 km S of Hihifo, Tonga

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
595
Country (24h)
—
—
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