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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Tonga

Tonga ranks 8th of 215 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth. Below: the full M6+ event history, magnitude and depth profile, and yearly trend, straight from USGS data.

10,827
M4+ events (since 2005)
475
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M7.8
Strongest
~516
M4+ per year

The verdict

Tonga has logged 10,827 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 and 475 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 7.8.

#8
of 215 countries by M4+ activity
10,827
catalogued M4+ events (2005–present)
M7.8
strongest earthquake on record
475
major M6+ events since 1900

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.6 - most events are moderate M4–5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage.

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 2025

Magnitude distribution of major events

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

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.

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.

Countries with similar seismic activity

Comparable catalogued earthquake frequency to Tonga.

Russia

12,226 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Mexico

8,296 M4+ events · strongest M7.6

M7.6

Chile

13,817 M4+ events · strongest M8.3

M8.3

Vanuatu

7,557 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Philippines

14,179 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

New Zealand

7,422 M4+ events · strongest M7.8

M7.8

Understand the data

How earthquakes are measured

Magnitude scales, seismographs, and depth.

Reading earthquake data

Interpreting magnitude, depth and frequency.

Earthquake preparedness

Before, during and after a quake.

Frequently asked questions

How many earthquakes have occurred in Tonga? ▼
The USGS catalog records 10,827 earthquakes of magnitude 4.0 or greater in Tonga since 2005, an average of about 516 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 215 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 this data

Every figure on this page is computed directly from the USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat), the public-domain record maintained by the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Two series are combined: a worldwide catalog of magnitude-4.0-and-above events from 2005 onward, the period over which the global seismograph network reliably detects and locates earthquakes everywhere, and a historical series of significant magnitude-6.0-and-above events stretching back to 1900. Magnitudes use the moment-magnitude scale (Mw), the modern standard that supersedes the older Richter scale; because the scale is logarithmic, each whole step represents roughly thirty-two times more energy released. Depth is measured in kilometres from the surface, and shallow earthquakes generally produce stronger shaking than deep ones of the same magnitude. Counts reflect what instruments recorded, not every tremor that occurred, and recent events can be revised as seismologists refine the catalog.

Source: USGS ComCat, verify with USGS → · See our methodology for the full pipeline.

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