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Tonga earthquakes in 1962

13 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in Tonga in 1962. The largest: M7.5 262 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga, May 22, 1962.

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

19611963

Map

Where every quake of 1962 was located in Tonga. Select one for its page.

Open the live map with earthquakes

Every quake of 1962

Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.

Month by month

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

MonthQuakesLargestWhere
January 196226.1236 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga
February 19620
March 19620
April 196226.1216 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga
May 196227.5262 km WNW of Haveluloto, Tonga
June 19620
July 196215.862 km E of Hihifo, Tonga
August 196225.9115 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga
September 19620
October 196215.697 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
November 196215.6276 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
December 196226.284 km NNE of Hihifo, 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 1962

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.