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M5.0 Depth: 129.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2025-05-21 15:19:25 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands on May 21, 2025 at 15:19 UTC. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 129 km. 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
129.0 km
UTC time
2025-05-21 15:19:25 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-16.41000, -174.08000
Temperature
26.7°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 129 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 129 km
Intermediate
129 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
Apia379.1 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tafahi
    Distance: 71 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 98 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 116 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 117 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 150 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Fonualei
    Distance: 181 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 eventM5.4
M4.72025-05-31 13:14:52 UTC65.6 kmTONGA M5.02025-05-31 13:14:54 UTC74.6 kmTonga Islands M4.52025-06-13 08:59:37 UTC66.2 kmTONGA M4.52025-06-13 08:59:39 UTC78.9 km132 km SSW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.42025-06-16 06:17:13 UTC72.7 kmTonga Islands M5.02025-06-16 06:17:16 UTC75.2 km125 km S of Hihifo, Tonga M5.02025-06-16 06:17:16 UTC79.7 kmTONGA

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#7
Earlier events M≥435
Earlier events M≥57
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.62025-04-04 08:01:06 UTC101.8 km84 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.52025-02-20 10:31:20 UTC118.7 km68 km NNW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.32025-04-12 03:16:35 UTC29.1 km74 km S of Hihifo, Tonga M5.32025-04-04 08:01:50 UTC122.4 km105 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.22025-05-18 07:54:38 UTC123.5 kmTonga Islands

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
576
Country (24h)
—
—
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