M4.6 earthquake — south of Tonga
An magnitude 4.6 earthquake occurred south of Tonga on Jul 27, 2026 at 04:22 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 35 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.6 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 35.0 km |
| Coordinates | -24.530, -175.643 |
| Time | Jul 27, 04:22 UTC |
| Location | south of Tonga |
| USGS event ID | us6000th6m |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5.1 | 43 km | Aug 4, 14:56 UTC | south of Tonga |
| M5.0 | 77 km | Aug 2, 15:35 UTC | south of Tonga |
| M5.3 | 113 km | Aug 2, 10:34 UTC | 265 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga |
| M5.1 | 118 km | Aug 1, 15:51 UTC | south of the Fiji Islands |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.