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M5.7 Earthquake near 180 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga

UTC time: 2026-09-23 14:41:03 UTC Local time: —
Earthquake newsQuakeMap24
First published: Content updated:

Automatically generated from measurement data by QuakeMap24. Values may change after further analysis.

Magnitude
M5.7
Depth
10.0 km
Source
USGS

180 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga

Map

M5.7 Earthquake near 180 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga · 2026-09-23 — Map showing the location of the epicenter
M5.7 Earthquake near 180 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga · 2026-09-23 — Map showing the location of the epicenter

About this earthquake

On September 23, 2026 at 14:41 UTC, a magnitude M5.7 earthquake occurred near 180 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Details

ID
e15f7f03a13fd3344d5313499cd4240dcaa5c1d1
Magnitude
M5.7
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-09-23 14:41:03 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-14.93690, -175.11140
Temperature
25.6°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

Estimated impact

Green No or minimal impact expected.

Ground shaking

IV
Light · Intensity (MMI) IV
Felt by many, no damage.

Tectonic context

Located on the Niuafoʻou Plate.
Near the boundary Pacific ↔ Niuafoʻou · about 61 km away

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Mata-Utu216.8 kmNW1'200

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Dugong
    Distance: 86 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'170 m ·Tonga
  • Niuafo'ou
    Distance: 92 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 106 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 128 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Lobster
    Distance: 133 km ·Shield ·Elevation: -1'500 m ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 147 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga

Comparison of seismic sources

3 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.5 to M5.9.

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

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
GFZM5.510.0 km52.8 km
INGVM5.94.7 km48.1 km
USGSM5.710.0 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#10
Earlier events M≥461
Earlier events M≥531
Compared since2025-01-26

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.62025-07-24 23:37:57 UTC74.6 kmSAMOA ISLANDS REGION M6.62025-07-24 23:37:57 UTC66.8 km176 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.62025-07-24 23:37:56 UTC66.8 km176 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.62025-07-24 23:37:55 UTC75.5 km167 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna M6.62025-07-24 23:37:55 UTC76.2 km165 km SSE of Mata-Utu, Wallis and Futuna

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
583
Country (24h)
—
—
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