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M5.0 Earthquake near 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa

UTC time: 2026-07-20 23:37:58 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
Archive record · original publication time was not recorded

Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis. How our reports are produced ↗

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
10.0 km
Source
USGS

141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa

Map

M5.0 Earthquake near 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa · 2026-07-20 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.0 Earthquake near 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa · 2026-07-20 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

On July 20, 2026 at 23:37 UTC, a magnitude M5.0 earthquake occurred near 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
afeeba23862387b5403389d955b5a95a955d228a
Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-07-20 23:37:58 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-14.96770, -172.86190
Temperature
25.8°C

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

Tectonic context

Located on the Tonga Plate.
Near the boundary Tonga ↔ Pacific · about 2 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Apia172.7 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • West Mata
    Distance: 97 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 113 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 130 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafahi
    Distance: 137 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 153 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Savaii
    Distance: 155 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'858 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·Samoa

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.0 to M5.0.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.010.0 km0.0 km
USGSM5.010.0 km0.0 km

No unambiguous area assignment

Context for this earthquake

This event has no unambiguous country assignment in the analysed catalogue. It is therefore not assigned to a regional profile.

Earthquake overview

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#48
Earlier events M≥477
Earlier events M≥550
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.32026-04-19 17:34:47 UTC57.9 kmTonga Islands [Sea: Tonga] M6.32026-03-22 15:30:40 UTC59.1 kmTonga Islands M6.32026-03-22 15:28:08 UTC54.5 kmTonga [Sea] M6.32026-03-22 06:15:47 UTC50.5 kmTonga [Sea] M6.22026-03-22 15:27:56 UTC44.2 km###.# km ( ###.# mi) SW (az= 234.4) from San Miguel Is., CA

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
508
Country (24h)
—
—
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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