Tonga earthquakes

M4.3 earthquake 298 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga

A magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck 298 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga on Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 6:20 AM GMT+13 (17:20 UTC), 502 km (312 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.3 Fiji region. This one was a foreshock.

Nuku‘alofa forecast More in Tonga

Map

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

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The earthquake

Magnitude: 4.3 (mb, body-wave), light
Magnitude from: USGS National Earthquake Information Center
Local time: Thu, Dec 21, 2017, 6:20 AM GMT+13
UTC: 2017-12-20 17:20:26 UTC
Depth: 502.3 km (312.1 mi), deep
Epicenter: 20.216° S, 177.901° 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.

Location uncertainty: About 15.5 km horizontally, 6.4 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.13
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 90°
Stations used: 24

Nearest places

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

Nuku‘alofa, TongaPopulation 22,400. Forecast299 kmWNW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.5 and up: 24 in the 60 days after this one and 11 in the 30 days before it.

After

Before

Earthquakes today Tonga earthquakes Live radar here

Sources

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event us1000c0pq. Read Mon, Oct 5, 2026, 6:37 AM UTC.