M4.6 earthquake — 295 km WNW of Houma, Tonga
An magnitude 4.6 earthquake occurred 295 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on Sep 9, 2026 at 18:19 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 499 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 | M4.6 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 499.4 km |
| Coordinates | -20.652, -178.093 |
| Time | Sep 9, 18:19 UTC |
| Location | 295 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us7000tg4e |
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 | 176 km | Sep 3, 07:46 UTC | 122 km WNW of Houma, Tonga |
| M5.0 | 220 km | Sep 3, 18:31 UTC | Fiji region |
| M4.5 | 255 km | Sep 8, 01:39 UTC | south of the Fiji Islands |
Earthquake activity in this area
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Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.