Shallow M6.1 earthquake hits offshore Tonga (Updated)

A shallow M6.1 earthquake was recorded at 17:34 UTC on April 19, 2026, approximately 93 km (58 miles) north-northeast of Hihifo, Tonga, with a focal depth of 36.0 km (22.4 miles).

The coordinates for this event were -15.1°S, 173.6°W, placing the epicenter offshore Tonga, north of the main island clusters. This region consists of several small islands and islets, with the nearest population center being Hihifo.

Given its proximity to Tonga’s main islands, essential infrastructure in this area may include coastal ports, airstrips, local power facilities, and inter-island transportation links, which are common across the Tongan archipelago.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its offshore location and available data.

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity was IV. There were 5 felt reports submitted, and the significance index is 574 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.

Tonga lies along the active Pacific and Indo-Australian plate boundary, within the highly seismically active Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone, where large earthquakes occur frequently.

This information was last updated at 18:05 UTC on April 19, 2026.