Shallow M5.7 earthquake hits offshore Tonga

A shallow earthquake with a magnitude of M5.7 was recorded at 14:41 UTC on September 23, 2026, approximately 180 km (112 miles) northwest of Hihifo, Tonga. The event occurred at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), with the epicenter located at coordinates 14.9°S, 175.1°W.

The earthquake struck offshore to the northwest of Hihifo, a locality on Niuatoputapu Island, Tonga. This region is characterized by isolated islands with sparse populations and lies in the northern part of the Tongan archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean.

Key infrastructure in this part of Tonga is generally limited to small ports, basic airstrips, and inter-island communication links. There are no major energy or transportation hubs in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter due to its remote location.

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

The significance index for this event is 500 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), reflecting its magnitude and estimated impact in this remote region.

Tonga is located along the Tonga-Kermadec Trench, one of the most active subduction zones in the world. The region regularly experiences shallow and intermediate-depth earthquakes as the Pacific Plate subducts beneath the Indo-Australian Plate.

This information was last updated at 15:00 UTC on September 23, 2026.