M5.9 earthquake 98 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck 98 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga on Wed, Mar 29, 1961, 9:49 PM GMT-11 (08:49 UTC), 20 km (12 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.9 (mw), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1961-03-30 08:49:49 UTC
- Depth
- 20.0 km (12.4 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 15.417° S, 173.069° 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
- ±0.47
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.9 and up: 1 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.
After
Earthquakes todayTonga earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem876327. Read Mon, Sep 28, 2026, 6:45 PM UTC.