M6.3 Depth: 14.8 km

M6.3 Earthquake near Tonga Islands [Sea: Tonga]

UTC time: 2026-04-19 17:34:47 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

A magnitude M6.3 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands [Sea: Tonga] on April 19, 2026 at 17:34 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 15 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size are considered strong and can be dangerous in inhabited regions.

The event was recorded by INGV.

Details

Magnitude
M6.3
Depth
14.8 km
UTC time
2026-04-19 17:34:47 UTC
Local time
Country
Source
ingv
Coordinates
-15.16640, -173.36000

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 14.8 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 14.8 km
Shallow
14.8 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
Apia226.7 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • West Mata
    Distance: 43 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 60 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 72 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafahi
    Distance: 87 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 96 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Savaii
    Distance: 195 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 1'858 m ·Last eruption: 1911 ·Samoa

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 250 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours2
First 24 hours2
First 72 hours2
Strongest subsequent eventM6.1

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 250 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥4152
Earlier events M≥581
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)
587
Country (24h)
Current earthquakes in
Magnitude Place Local time
No recent events available.

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