Tonga earthquakes

M7.8 earthquake 146 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck 146 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga on Fri, Dec 26, 1975, 4:56 AM GMT-11 (15:56 UTC), 33 km (21 mi) below the surface.

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Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 7.8 (ms), major
Local time: Fri, Dec 26, 1975, 4:56 AM GMT-11
UTC: 1975-12-26 15:56:38 UTC
Depth: 33.0 km (20.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 16.264° S, 172.467° W
Region: Tonga
Strongest shaking: IV, light shaking
Tsunami flag: No
Status: Reviewed by a seismologist

Deaths and damage

From NOAA NCEI’s Significant Earthquake Database (record 4705), matched to this event by time and place.

NOAA’s record of this earthquake gives no deaths, injuries or damage.

NOAA’s full record of this earthquake The tsunami it caused

Shaking

The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.

Strongest estimated: IV, light shaking
Peak ground acceleration: 2.7% of gravity
Peak ground velocity: 1.6 cm/s
Map: Automatic

USGS ShakeMap: estimated shaking intensity around the epicenter — Estimated shaking intensity. Map: USGS ShakeMap.

Did you feel it?

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Depth from: OPERATOR_ASSIGNED
Stations used: 149

Nearest places

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Apia, SamoaPopulation 40,407. Forecast281 kmSSW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 4.8 and up: 26 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.

After

Earthquakes today Tonga earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0000e2t (also filed as iscgem720855). Read Tue, Sep 29, 2026, 11:56 PM UTC.