Tonga earthquakes

M5.2 earthquake 134 km N of Hihifo, Tonga

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake struck 134 km N of Hihifo, Tonga on Sun, Dec 31, 2023, 5:05 AM GMT+13 (16:05 UTC), 10 km (6 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: 5.2 (Mww, W-phase moment), moderate
Magnitude from: USGS National Earthquake Information Center
Local time: Sun, Dec 31, 2023, 5:05 AM GMT+13
UTC: 2023-12-30 16:05:45 UTC
Depth: 10.0 km (6.2 mi), shallow
Epicenter: 14.753° S, 173.971° 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.

Fault motion and ground failure

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

Faulting: Strike-slip
Moment magnitude: 5.2 Mww
Nodal plane 1: Strike 343°, dip 33°, rake -164°
Nodal plane 2: Strike 239°, dip 82°, rake -58°

How well it is located

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Location uncertainty: About 9.7 km horizontally, 1.9 km in depth
Magnitude uncertainty: ±0.09
Depth from: Operator assigned
Station coverage gap: 54°
Stations used: 34

Nearest places

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

Apia, SamoaPopulation 40,407. Forecast259 kmWSW

Nearby

Within 100 km, magnitude 2.2 and up: 11 in the 60 days after this one and 8 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 us6000m0mx. Read Sat, Oct 3, 2026, 12:17 AM UTC.