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Tonga earthquakes in 1966

20 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in Tonga in 1966. The largest: M6.3 159 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga, Nov 5, 1966.

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

19651967

Map

Where every quake of 1966 was located in Tonga. Select one for its page.

Open the live map with earthquakes

Every quake of 1966

Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.

Month by month

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

MonthQuakesLargestWhere
January 19660
February 196636.0115 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga
March 196635.6Tonga
April 196615.8106 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga
May 19660
June 196615.8239 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
July 196636.0109 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga
August 196646.1275 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
September 196635.9255 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
October 196615.598 km NNW of Hihifo, Tonga
November 196616.3159 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga
December 19660

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 1966

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.