Tonga earthquakes

M5.6 earthquake 98 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga

A magnitude 5.6 earthquake struck 98 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga on Sat, May 16, 2020, 4:05 AM GMT+13 (15:05 UTC), 24 km (15 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: 5.6 (mww), moderate
Local time: Sat, May 16, 2020, 4:05 AM GMT+13
UTC: 2020-05-15 15:05:56 UTC
Depth: 23.9 km (14.8 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 15.781° S, 172.891° W
Region: Tonga
Strongest shaking: IV, light shaking
PAGER alert: Green
Tsunami flag: No
Status: Reviewed by a seismologist

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: 1.1% of gravity
Peak ground velocity: -0.0 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.

Estimated impact

The USGS PAGER system estimates deaths and economic losses from the shaking and the population and buildings exposed to it.

Alert level: Green: little or no damage or loss of life expected

Deaths: estimated chance of each range
Range	Chance
Under 1	76%
1 to 10	24%
10 to 100	Under 1%
100 to 1,000	Under 1%
1,000 to 10,000	Under 1%
10,000 to 100,000	Under 1%
100,000 to 10,000,000	Under 1%

Economic losses: estimated chance of each range
Range, million USD	Chance
Under 1	76%
1 to 10	24%
10 to 100	Under 1%
100 to 1,000	Under 1%
1,000 to 10,000	Under 1%
10,000 to 100,000	Under 1%
100,000 to 10,000,000	Under 1%

Fault motion and ground failure

How the rock slipped, from the moment tensor, and the USGS estimate of landslides and liquefaction.

Faulting: Reverse (thrust)
Moment magnitude: 5.6 Mww
Nodal plane 1: Strike 170°, dip 23°, rake 74°
Nodal plane 2: Strike 7°, dip 68°, rake 97°

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 12.2 km horizontally, 4.0 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.07
Depth from: From location
Station coverage gap: 84°
Stations used: 48

Nearest places

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

Apia, SamoaPopulation 40,407. Forecast248 kmSSW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.6 and up: 17 in the 60 days after this one and 9 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 us70009gu8 (also filed as iscgem618271828). Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 8:40 PM UTC.