M6.3 earthquake 90 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
A magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck 90 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga on Mon, May 21, 1956, 4:01 PM GMT-11 (03:01 UTC), 45 km (28 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 6.3 (mw), strong
- Local time
- UTC
- 1956-05-22 03:01:12 UTC
- Depth
- 45.0 km (28.0 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 15.326° S, 173.263° W
- Region
- Tonga
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Magnitude uncertainty
- ±0.21
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 1 in the 30 days before it.
Before
Earthquakes todayTonga earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem888278. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 11:12 AM UTC.