M4.9 earthquake — 265 km WNW of Houma, Tonga

An magnitude 4.9 earthquake occurred 265 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on Aug 27, 2026 at 23:02 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 519 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 | 519.0 km |
| Coordinates | -20.413, -177.717 |
| Time | Aug 27, 23:02 UTC |
| Location | 265 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.6 | 47 km | Sep 9, 18:19 UTC | 295 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.2 | 291 km | Sep 14, 11:45 UTC | 230 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
| M4.3 | 299 km | Sep 13, 15:58 UTC | 237 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
Earthquake activity in this area
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Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.