M4.9 earthquake — 264 km WNW of Houma, Tonga
An magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred 264 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on Aug 27, 2026 at 23:02 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 520 km — a deep earthquake. Deep quakes can be felt over very large distances but usually cause less surface damage than shallow ones.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.9 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 520.3 km |
| Coordinates | -20.380, -177.696 |
| Time | Aug 27, 23:02 UTC |
| Location | 264 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us7000tcgb |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.5 | 161 km | Aug 24, 05:40 UTC | 104 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.6 | 230 km | Aug 23, 05:39 UTC | 273 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
| M4.6 | 232 km | Aug 21, 16:45 UTC | 130 km W of Pangai, Tonga |
Earthquake activity in this area
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Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.