M5.3 Depth: 54.0 km

M5.3 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-02-03 19:34:09 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.3 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands on February 3, 2026 at 19:34 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 54 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.3
Depth
54.0 km
UTC time
2026-02-03 19:34:09 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-15.37000, -173.52000
Temperature
27.7°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 54 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 54 km
Shallow
54 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
Apia254.5 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Curacoa
    Distance: 32 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 39 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 52 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafahi
    Distance: 59 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 76 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Savaii
    Distance: 223 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'858 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·Samoa

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 eventM5.7

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#15
Earlier events M≥478
Earlier events M≥531
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
583
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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