PlainQuake

Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Tonga

Tonga has catalogued 10,847 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 8th of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M7.8.

Tonga ranks 8th of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 517 M4+ events a year alongside 475 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. Its M6+ record runs from 1905 to 2026, peaking in 1984.

10,847
M4+ events (since 2005)
475
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.8
Strongest
~517
M4+ per year

The verdict

Tonga is one of the world's most seismically active places, with 10,847 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 475 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.8.

1984
busiest year (11 major events)
69 km
average recorded event depth
75%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. On the M4+ activity ladder Russia sits immediately above at 12,525 events and Mexico sits immediately below at 8,356.

Where Tonga sits in the catalog

Rank 8th of 187 tracked countries (96th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). On the M4+ activity ladder Russia sits immediately above at 12,525 events and Mexico sits immediately below at 8,356.

  • Russia - next more active (12,525 M4+)
  • Mexico - next less active (8,356 M4+)

Tonga's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

10,847 Top 4% higher than 96% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 3 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Tonga 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

How Tonga compares to its nearest peers

Tonga ranks in the 96th percentile for M4+ frequency among all 187 tracked countries. Plotted here against its 17 nearest-ranked peers by how OFTEN they shake (M4+ count) against how HARD the strongest one ever hit (max recorded magnitude).

Tonga vs. its 17 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat 2×2 strategic matrix plotting 18 entities by M4+ events since 2005 (X) and Strongest recorded magnitude (Y), with a crosshair dividing the plot into four quadrants. Frequent and severeRare but severeFrequent, capped so farLower on both axes 010,00020,00030,00040,000 M6.5M7M7.5M8M8.5M9M9.5 M4+ events since 2005 Strongest recorded magnitude
Tonga vs. its 17 nearest-ranked peer countries, USGS ComCat
Read the chart (all 18 values)
Country M4+ events Strongest magnitude
Indonesia 37,560 M8.6
Japan 27,851 M9.1
United States 17,280 M8.2
Papua New Guinea 15,655 M7.9
Philippines 14,262 M7.8
Chile 13,836 M8.8
Russia 12,525 M8.8
Tonga (this page) 10,847 M7.6
Mexico 8,356 M8.2
Vanuatu 7,572 M7.8
New Zealand 7,523 M8.1
Solomon Islands 6,129 M7.8
China 4,952 M7.9
Greece 4,606 M7.0
Peru 4,598 M8.0
Fiji 4,498 M7.9
Argentina 4,379 M7.0
India 4,086 M7.5

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Tonga by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Tonga's most active year for major earthquakes was 1984 (11 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present
0%100%1.1%
Share of Tonga's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

116 of 10,847 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 475 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Tonga.

How the 475 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 93.3%

M7.0-7.9

32

6.7%

M6.0-6.9

443

93.3%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 475 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 69 km.

Tonga75.4%21.3%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Tonga's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

358

75.4% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

101

21.3% of events

Deep (>300 km)

16

3.4% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Tonga

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
7.8 192 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga 167.3 km
7.8 146 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga 33.0 km
7.8 159 km W of Pangai, Tonga 215.9 km
7.8 111 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 25.0 km
7.7 133 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 25.0 km
7.6 82 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 210.0 km
7.6 191 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 31.0 km
7.6 199 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga 33.0 km
7.5 158 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 234.0 km
7.5 110 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 15.0 km

Significant earthquake record (475 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Tonga since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.1 88 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 36.0 km
7.5 158 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 234.0 km
6.3 140 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 12.0 km
6.2 148 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.2 121 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 14.0 km
6.0 7 km WSW of Hihifo, Tonga 134.0 km
6.0 187 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 48.0 km
6.4 142 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 260.0 km
6.2 72 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 17.0 km
7.0 61 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 29.0 km
6.6 125 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 65 km W of Pangai, Tonga 99.3 km
6.9 75 km W of Pangai, Tonga 96.0 km
6.0 73 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 9.0 km
6.6 70 km NW of Fangale’ounga, Tonga 137.0 km
6.4 148 km NW of Fangale’ounga, Tonga 209.0 km
6.2 174 km NW of Fangale’ounga, Tonga 248.0 km
6.1 105 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 42.0 km
6.9 132 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga 229.0 km
6.1 241 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 22.0 km
6.2 254 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 16.0 km
6.0 261 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 20.0 km
7.2 274 km SW of Houma, Tonga 179.0 km
7.6 82 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 210.0 km
6.8 109 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 38.0 km
7.3 205 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga 37.0 km
6.3 129 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga 237.0 km
6.2 220 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 6.2 km
6.0 185 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.5 207 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga 246.0 km
6.5 225 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 301.0 km
6.0 291 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga 417.0 km
6.2 83 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 34.0 km
6.4 39 km NE of Pangai, Tonga 28.0 km
6.1 141 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 12.0 km
6.0 111 km SSE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 171 km E of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 159 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.2 147 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 10.0 km
6.6 136 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 82 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 13.0 km
6.0 108 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 132 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga 177.8 km
6.0 121 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 15.4 km
6.4 91 km SW of Pangai, Tonga 113.0 km
6.1 79 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 35.0 km
6.0 191 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga 9.0 km
6.8 97 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 103 km SE of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 156 km NW of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 198 km W of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 127 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.4 118 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga 202.0 km
6.0 115 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 8.0 km
6.0 32 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 63 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga 12.0 km
6.0 89 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 48.0 km
6.0 51 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.2 175 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 135 km WNW of Pangai, Tonga 203.0 km
6.3 106 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 30.0 km
6.5 96 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 11.0 km
6.4 110 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 14.5 km
6.0 98 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 119 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga 8.0 km
6.0 168 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 35.0 km
6.2 71 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 227.3 km
6.1 56 km NE of Kolonga, Tonga 45.0 km
6.1 130 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga 6.1 km
6.2 152 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga 10.1 km
6.0 285 km SW of Vaini, Tonga 160.0 km
6.0 84 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 31.6 km
6.3 85 km NW of Nuku‘alofa, Tonga 150.0 km
7.4 292 km SW of Vaini, Tonga 173.7 km
6.4 140 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga 212.9 km
6.6 76 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 134.7 km
6.0 27 km SSW of Hihifo, Tonga 90.0 km
6.4 172 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.2 75 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 37.0 km
6.1 56 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga 85.0 km
6.0 101 km SSW of Vaini, Tonga 76.0 km
6.1 72 km S of Pangai, Tonga 18.0 km
6.1 141 km N of Neiafu, Tonga 69.0 km
6.1 97 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 35.0 km
6.0 155 km NW of Nuku‘alofa, Tonga 273.2 km
6.0 277 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 15.0 km
6.1 65 km SSE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 11.0 km
6.1 104 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.8 104 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga 18.0 km
6.3 159 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.1 54 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga 8.0 km
6.0 134 km E of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.0 95 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga 10.0 km
6.6 154 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga 11.0 km
7.6 191 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 31.0 km
6.0 249 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga 9.0 km
6.0 93 km NNW of Hihifo, Tonga 121.0 km
6.4 146 km W of Neiafu, Tonga 233.4 km
6.9 130 km ESE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga 29.0 km
6.1 101 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga 8.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 475 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Tonga-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Turkey

2,249 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Ukraine

17 M4+ events · strongest M4.9

M4.9

Guadeloupe

152 M4+ events · strongest M6.5

M6.5

Slovakia

1 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Micronesia

672 M4+ events · strongest M6.6

M6.6

Japan

27,851 M4+ events · strongest M9.1

M9.1

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Tonga-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Colombia

1,721 M4+ events

M7.3

Venezuela

531 M4+ events

M7.5

Myanmar

1,136 M4+ events

M7.7

Philippines

14,262 M4+ events

M7.8

Afghanistan

3,478 M4+ events

M7.5

Turkey

2,249 M4+ events

M7.8

Understand the data

Russia

Next more active on the M4+ ladder.

Mexico

Next less active on the M4+ ladder.

Country rankings

Every country by M4+ activity.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Tonga? ▼
The USGS catalog records 10,847 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Tonga since 2005, an average of about 517 per year. Separately, 475 significant (M6+) earthquakes are catalogued back to 1900.
What was the strongest earthquake in Tonga? ▼
The strongest catalogued earthquake in Tonga measured magnitude 7.8. Across the full M4+ catalog the average magnitude is 4.6 - most earthquakes are moderate.
How seismically active is Tonga? ▼
By catalogued M4+ activity, Tonga ranks 8th of 187 countries worldwide - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Its busiest year for major (M6+) events was 1984, with 11.
How deep are earthquakes in Tonga? ▼
Across the 475 major (M6+) events on record, the average depth is 69 km. 75% were shallow (under 70 km), where surface shaking is strongest at a given magnitude.
Where does this data come from? ▼
Every figure is derived from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ counts cover 2005 onward (the period of consistent global completeness); the significant-event series covers M6+ back to 1900. Nothing is modelled or estimated.

About Tonga's figures

10,847 M4+ events since 2005 · strongest M7.8 · average M4.6 · 475 M6+ significant events since 1900 · latest M4+ catalog stamp Jul 19, 2026. Computed from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). See the methodology and USGS ComCat.

Disclaimer: PlainQuake is informational only, not an emergency service or engineering advice. See our full disclaimer.

What Tonga's numbers mean

Tonga ranks 8th of 187 countries tracked - among the most seismically active nations on Earth.

  • About 517 M4+ earthquakes strike Tonga per year on average, though major (M6+) activity is episodic - 1984 was the busiest year on record with 11 significant events. See the full country ranking
  • 75% of Tonga's catalogued major earthquakes are shallow (under 70km) - shallow events generally produce stronger surface shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. How depth affects shaking
  • The strongest catalogued event reached M7.8. Compare against neighboring or similarly-ranked countries before drawing conclusions from magnitude alone. Compare strongest earthquakes

Figures reflect the USGS ComCat catalog (M4+ since 2005, M6+ significant events since 1900) - not a real-time hazard assessment. For official guidance, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 315,341 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,428 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-07-19.