Earthquake.now

M6.2 Earthquake near Hihifo, Tonga — 22 March 2026, 15:28 UTC

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.2 was recorded near Hihifo, Tonga on , with an epicentre 171 km east-northeast of Hihifo, at a focal depth of 79.7 km.

6.2 Strong

Time (UTC): 2026-03-22 15:28:00

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 6.2 (strong)

Focal depth: 79.7 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: -15.4980, -172.2710

Location: 171 km ENE of Hihifo, Tonga

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 591, which is below the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at -15.4980, -172.2710 — 171 km east-northeast of Hihifo. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 5.7 earthquake 21 km west-northwest of here on 22 March 2026.

Why the 80 km depth matters

At 80 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

What does the tsunami information flag mean?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →

Aftershocks and local seismic history

11 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.3.

88 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.3 event near Hihifo on 22 March 2026. This M6.2 event released about 1.4 times less energy than that event.

How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →

Where this event sits in the record

This earthquake is part of the March 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 6 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong is a magnitude 6.2 earthquake?

Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.2 earthquake radiates roughly 30,089 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Hihifo?

At 80 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.

Was the M6.2 earthquake near Hihifo felt?

This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.

What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?

The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because at M6.2 it falls below the magnitude 6.5 threshold that generally applies before a submarine earthquake displaces enough water to generate a damaging tsunami; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.

Have there been aftershocks?

11 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 6.3.

How often do earthquakes happen near Hihifo?

88 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.3 event near Hihifo on 22 March 2026. This M6.2 event released about 1.4 times less energy than that event.