September 8, 1948 Earthquake: Tonga Islands

Name: September 8, 1948 Earthquake: Tonga Islands
Start: 1948-09-08
Location: Tonga Islands

September 8, 1948 · M7.9

A magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck Tonga Islands on September 8, 1948 at 15:09:00 UTC, 25 km below the surface. It caused a tsunami.

Map

Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.

The earthquake

Date: September 8, 1948
Time: 15:09:00 UTC
Place: Tonga Islands
Magnitude: 7.9
Focal depth: 25 km (16 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 21.000° S, 174.000° W
Country: Tonga

The toll

The record gives no deaths, injuries or damage for this earthquake.

What the record says

NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.

Reference #1001 lists epicenter 21S 174W.

Reference #1002 lists epicenter 20S 175W.

1948, September 9, (03:30). An earthquake in the area of the Tonga Islands generated a tsunami which was recorded on tidal gauges (Reference #415).

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1948 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1948 Recent earthquakes near here This day in weather history

Sources

Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 3889.