October 14, 1997 Earthquake: Tonga Islands

Name: October 14, 1997 Earthquake: Tonga Islands
Start: 1997-10-14
Location: Tonga Islands

October 14, 1997 · M7.7

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Tonga Islands on October 14, 1997 at 09:53:18 UTC, 167 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: October 14, 1997
Time: 09:53:18 UTC
Place: Tonga Islands
Magnitude: 7.7 (Mw)
Focal depth: 167 km (104 mi)
Tsunami: Yes: the tsunami it caused
Epicenter: 22.101° S, 176.772° W
Country: Tonga

The toll

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

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

Significant earthquakes of 1997 The 1900s Every quake the USGS located in 1997 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 6820.