Tonga earthquakes

M5.3 earthquake 157 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga

A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck 157 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga on Mon, Jan 19, 1976, 4:40 AM GMT-11 (15:40 UTC), 33 km (21 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.5 138 km E of Hihifo, Tonga. This one was a foreshock.

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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
5.3 (mb), moderate
Local time
UTC
1976-01-19 15:40:31 UTC
Depth
33.0 km (20.5 mi), shallow
Epicenter
16.799° S, 172.613° 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.

Depth from
OPERATOR_ASSIGNED
Stations used
43

Nearest places

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

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.3 and up: 10 in the 60 days after this one and 20 in the 30 days before it.

After

  1. 5.5138 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18502 days ago · 36 km deep · 95 km away
  2. 4.9184 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18501 days ago · 44 km deep · 42 km away
  3. 4.4168 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18495 days ago · 104 km deep · 71 km away
  4. 5.2166 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18493 days ago · 33 km deep · 10 km away
  5. 5.3135 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18493 days ago · 33 km deep · 36 km away
  6. 5.0215 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18492 days ago · 33 km deep · 62 km away
  7. 4.7181 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18492 days ago · 33 km deep · 48 km away
  8. 4.7155 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18469 days ago · 33 km deep · 54 km away
  9. 4.2186 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18457 days ago · 33 km deep · 66 km away
  10. 4.9227 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18456 days ago · 33 km deep · 72 km away

Before

  1. 5.3175 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18512 days ago · 33 km deep · 30 km away
  2. 4.8111 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18527 days ago · 33 km deep · 57 km away
  3. 5.4129 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18527 days ago · 33 km deep · 36 km away
  4. 5.3Samoa Islands region · 18527 days ago · 33 km deep · 52 km away
  5. 5.7123 km SE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18527 days ago · 33 km deep · 34 km away
  6. 4.8134 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18530 days ago · 33 km deep · 65 km away
  7. 4.6164 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18530 days ago · 33 km deep · 39 km away
  8. 4.9117 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18530 days ago · 35 km deep · 94 km away
  9. 4.9123 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18532 days ago · 31 km deep · 81 km away
  10. 5.078 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18532 days ago · 33 km deep · 95 km away
  11. 5.0167 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18532 days ago · 33 km deep · 36 km away
  12. 5.0103 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 99 km away
  13. 4.8103 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 39 km deep · 98 km away
  14. 5.1114 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 38 km deep · 75 km away
  15. 5.1234 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 86 km away
  16. 4.9170 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 39 km away
  17. 5.492 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 90 km away
  18. 4.9171 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 71 km away
  19. 4.8170 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 52 km away
  20. 7.8146 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 18533 days ago · 33 km deep · 61 km away

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Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0000ejn. Read Tue, Sep 22, 2026, 10:46 AM UTC.