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Tonga earthquakes in 1961

12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in Tonga in 1961. The largest: M6.4 south of Tonga, Mar 21, 1961.

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

19601962

Map

Where every quake of 1961 was located in Tonga. Select one for its page.

Open the live map with earthquakes

Every quake of 1961

Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.

Month by month

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

MonthQuakesLargestWhere
January 19610
February 196126.1141 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga
March 196146.4south of Tonga
April 196125.985 km NW of Hihifo, Tonga
May 196126.1225 km SSW of Vaini, Tonga
June 19610
July 19610
August 196115.9south of Tonga
September 19610
October 19610
November 19610
December 196116.2280 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 1961

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.