M4.5 earthquake — 276 km WNW of Houma, Tonga
An magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred 276 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on Aug 15, 2026 at 04:31 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 543 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 | M4.5 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 543.1 km |
| Coordinates | -20.473, -177.855 |
| Time | Aug 15, 04:31 UTC |
| Location | 276 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us6000tkwe |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.8 | 16 km | Sep 1, 01:29 UTC | 292 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.2 | 91 km | Aug 30, 22:51 UTC | 266 km W of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.5 | 155 km | Sep 3, 07:46 UTC | 122 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M5.0 | 194 km | Sep 3, 18:31 UTC | Fiji region |
| M4.2 | 280 km | Aug 29, 08:23 UTC | south of the Fiji Islands |
| M4.9 | 281 km | Sep 1, 10:34 UTC | 117 km WNW 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.