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Tonga earthquakes in 1959

12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in Tonga in 1959. The largest: M6.2 90 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga, Apr 12, 1959.

From the USGS catalog. Times are local to each quake.

19581960

Map

Where every quake of 1959 was located in Tonga. Select one for its page.

Open the live map with earthquakes

Every quake of 1959

Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.

Month by month

Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.

MonthQuakesLargestWhere
January 195925.7189 km W of Neiafu, Tonga
February 19590
March 195915.9144 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
April 195916.290 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
May 19590
June 195925.9south of Tonga
July 19590
August 195915.847 km ESE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
September 19590
October 195915.9277 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
November 195935.9Tonga region
December 195915.8196 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga

What this means

The catalog is only as complete as the instruments of the time. Worldwide coverage of magnitude 5 and up dates from the 1960s, and of 4.5 from the 1990s; earlier years hold the large quakes and the ones near a station, so a low count in an early year means fewer instruments, not a quiet earth.

By year

Every year the USGS catalog covers.

Nearby

Tonga nowWorldwide in 1959

Sources

Earthquakes, magnitudes, depths, shaking estimates and felt reports from the U.S. Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, read from its live feeds and its catalog back to 1900. Tsunami messages from NOAA’s tsunami warning centers.