December 14, 1950 Earthquake: Tonga Islands
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Tonga Islands on December 14, 1950 at 01:52:46 UTC, 200 km below the surface.
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
- December 14, 1950
- Time
- 01:52:46 UTC
- Place
- Tonga Islands
- Magnitude
- 7.7 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 200 km (124 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 19.500° S, 176.000° 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.
December 14, 1950, 01:52:46 UTC, 19.5 S, N, 176 W, magnitude 7.7, depth 200 km. (reference #45)
December 14, 1950, 01:52:49 UTC, 19.25 S, N, 175.75 W, magnitude 7.7, depth 200 km. (reference #130)
December 14, 1950, magnitude 7.7, depth 200 km. (reference #1002)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 1950The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1950Recent earthquakes near hereThis 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 3966.