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M5.3 Depth: 76.0 km

M5.3 Earthquake near Tonga Islands

UTC time: 2026-01-19 06:42:05 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.3 earthquake was recorded near Tonga Islands on January 19, 2026 at 06:42 UTC. At around 76 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Details

Magnitude
M5.3
Depth
76.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-19 06:42:05 UTC
Local time
—
Country
—
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-16.23000, -173.97000
Temperature
28.2°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 76 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 76 km
Intermediate
76 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
Apia356.4 kmNE40'407

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Tafahi
    Distance: 48 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 546 m ·Tonga
  • Curacoa
    Distance: 75 km ·Complex ·Elevation: -33 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Tonga
  • Niuatahi
    Distance: 96 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: -1'270 m ·Tonga
  • Tafu-Maka
    Distance: 100 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'400 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Tonga
  • West Mata
    Distance: 128 km ·Fissure vent(s) ·Elevation: -1'174 m ·Last eruption: 2009 ·Tonga
  • Niuafo'ou
    Distance: 191 km ·Shield ·Elevation: 260 m ·Last eruption: 1946 ·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 hours1
Strongest subsequent eventM5.7
M4.92026-01-20 08:18:22 UTC69.7 kmTonga Islands M4.12026-01-27 05:08:05 UTC136.4 km M4.92026-01-27 05:08:06 UTC114.7 kmTonga Islands M5.32026-02-03 19:34:09 UTC107.1 kmTonga Islands M5.22026-02-09 18:52:58 UTC42.4 kmTonga Islands M5.72026-02-10 21:14:44 UTC144.0 kmSamoa Islands Region M5.02026-02-10 21:14:45 UTC144.2 kmEvent of magnitude 5.0, near of Nouméa (Monde) M5.12026-02-13 00:41:25 UTC117.7 kmTonga Islands M5.22026-02-15 20:54:47 UTC119.7 kmTonga Islands

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#14
Earlier events M≥493
Earlier events M≥536
Compared since2025-01-05

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72025-11-28 03:30:09 UTC132.3 kmTonga Islands M5.62025-11-28 03:30:09 UTC134.6 km130 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.62025-11-28 03:30:08 UTC137.4 km M5.62025-04-04 08:01:06 UTC90.7 km84 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga M5.52025-08-18 07:48:45 UTC122.6 km

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
585
Country (24h)
—
—
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