M4.2 earthquake — 289 km WNW of Houma, Tonga
An magnitude 4.2 earthquake occurred 289 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on Aug 18, 2026 at 23:53 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 509 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 | M4.2 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 508.7 km |
| Coordinates | -20.095, -177.830 |
| Time | Aug 18, 23:53 UTC |
| Location | 289 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us6000tls4 |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.2 | 37 km | Aug 15, 04:31 UTC | 285 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M4.8 | 252 km | Aug 18, 01:10 UTC | south of the Fiji Islands |
| M5.1 | 258 km | Aug 12, 22:13 UTC | 226 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
| M4.4 | 267 km | Aug 15, 15:21 UTC | Fiji region |
| M5.4 | 269 km | Aug 19, 18:45 UTC | 215 km E of Levuka, Fiji |
| M4.9 | 281 km | Aug 17, 00:08 UTC | 213 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.