Tonga earthquakes in 1972
41 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or more were located in Tonga in 1972. The largest: M7.0 146 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga, May 23, 1972.
From the USGS catalog. Times are local to each quake.
Map
Where every quake of 1972 was located in Tonga. Select one for its page.
Every quake of 1972
Magnitude 4.5 and up, newest first.
- 6.0142 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.534 km W of Hihifo, Tonga · 144 km deep
- 5.7south of Tonga · 18 km deep
- 5.6100 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga · 30 km deep
- 5.367 km ESE of Pangai, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.450 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 25 km deep
- 6.046 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 31 km deep
- 6.2203 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 13 km deep
- 5.794 km SW of Hihifo, Tonga · 180 km deep
- 5.777 km ENE of Fangale’ounga, Tonga · 13 km deep
- 5.582 km SSE of Neiafu, Tonga · 35 km deep
- 6.3195 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga · 35 km deep
- 5.785 km WSW of Pangai, Tonga · 165 km deep
- 6.168 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 5.760 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 20 km deep
- 6.1209 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 16 km deep
- 5.495 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.7116 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga · 186 km deep
- 5.7116 km SW of Vaini, Tonga · 124 km deep
- 5.0110 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 26 km deep
- 5.244 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 32 km deep
- 5.53 km ENE of Kolonga, Tonga · 83 km deep
- 5.7107 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.8102 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 7.0146 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga · 224 km deep
- 6.1182 km W of Pangai, Tonga · 31 km deep
- 6.079 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga · 85 km deep
- 5.8151 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.560 km NW of Pangai, Tonga · 135 km deep
- 5.6110 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 25 km deep
- 5.798 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 16 km deep
- 6.087 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 9 km deep
- 5.792 km SE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 35 km deep
- 5.7125 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 6.067 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 26 km deep
- 5.583 km SSE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 27 km deep
- 6.047 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 5.8133 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga · 48 km deep
- 5.980 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 5.976 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga · 150 km deep
- 5.678 km ESE of Neiafu, Tonga · 15 km deep
The largest
The 25 largest of 1972 in Tonga.
- 7.0146 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga · 224 km deep
- 6.3195 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga · 35 km deep
- 6.2203 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 13 km deep
- 6.168 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 6.1209 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 16 km deep
- 6.1182 km W of Pangai, Tonga · 31 km deep
- 6.0142 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 6.087 km E of Hihifo, Tonga · 9 km deep
- 6.047 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 6.079 km NNE of Hihifo, Tonga · 85 km deep
- 6.067 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 26 km deep
- 6.046 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 31 km deep
- 5.980 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 5.976 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga · 150 km deep
- 5.8102 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.8133 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga · 48 km deep
- 5.8151 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.794 km SW of Hihifo, Tonga · 180 km deep
- 5.798 km ESE of Hihifo, Tonga · 16 km deep
- 5.7125 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga · 10 km deep
- 5.777 km ENE of Fangale’ounga, Tonga · 13 km deep
- 5.7107 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga · 15 km deep
- 5.785 km WSW of Pangai, Tonga · 165 km deep
- 5.7116 km SW of Vaini, Tonga · 124 km deep
- 5.7south of Tonga · 18 km deep
Month by month
Counted by UTC date, which is how the catalog files them.
| Month | Quakes | Largest | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1972 | 2 | 5.9 | 76 km WNW of Neiafu, Tonga |
| February 1972 | 2 | 5.9 | 80 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga |
| March 1972 | 5 | 6.0 | 47 km SE of Neiafu, Tonga |
| April 1972 | 6 | 6.0 | 87 km E of Hihifo, Tonga |
| May 1972 | 2 | 7.0 | 146 km NW of Neiafu, Tonga |
| June 1972 | 3 | 5.8 | 102 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga |
| July 1972 | 4 | 5.7 | 116 km SW of Vaini, Tonga |
| August 1972 | 5 | 6.1 | 68 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga |
| September 1972 | 6 | 6.3 | 195 km WNW of Hihifo, Tonga |
| October 1972 | 1 | 5.4 | 50 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga |
| November 1972 | 4 | 5.7 | south of Tonga |
| December 1972 | 1 | 6.0 | 142 km E 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.
- 2020s2020202120222023202420252026
- 2010s2010201120122013201420152016201720182019
- 2000s2000200120022003200420052006200720082009
- 1990s1990199119921993199419951996199719981999
- 1980s1980198119821983198419851986198719881989
- 1970s1970197119721973197419751976197719781979
- 1960s1960196119621963196419651966196719681969
- 1950s1950195119521953195419551956195719581959
- 1940s1940194119421943194419451946194719481949
- 1930s1930193119321933193419351936193719381939
- 1920s1920192119221923192419251926192719281929
- 1910s1910191119121913191419151916191719181919
- 1900s1900190119021903190419051906190719081909
Nearby
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.