M4.8 earthquake — 144 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga
An magnitude 4.8 earthquake occurred 144 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga on Oct 22, 2026 at 16:51 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 35 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.8 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 35.0 km |
| Coordinates | -22.564, -175.444 |
| Time | Oct 22, 16:51 UTC |
| Location | 144 km SSW of ‘Ohonua, Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us6000u459 |
What this magnitude typically means
Light earthquakes are felt by most people nearby but rarely cause damage. Distance, depth, and soil type determine whether a quake feels sharp or barely noticeable. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5.2 | 164 km | Oct 18, 19:32 UTC | 71 km ESE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga |
| M4.3 | 214 km | Oct 18, 15:39 UTC | 213 km WSW of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.8 | 241 km | Oct 20, 16:29 UTC | south of the Fiji Islands |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.