Earthquake.now

M7.5 Earthquake near Neiafu, Tonga — 24 March 2026

A major earthquake of magnitude 7.5 was recorded near Neiafu, Tonga on , with an epicentre 166 km west of Neiafu, at a focal depth of 229.5 km. It was the strongest of the 30 earthquakes recorded in Tonga in the preceding 30 days.

7.5 Major

Time (UTC): 2026-03-24 04:37:50

Time (your timezone): —

Magnitude: 7.5 (major)

Focal depth: 229.5 km (intermediate)

Epicentre: -18.6678, -175.5600

Location: 166 km W of Neiafu, Tonga

Country: Tonga

USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked

Review status: Reviewed

Source: USGS event page

How strong was this earthquake?

Major earthquakes cause serious damage across wide regions and are capable of destroying buildings that were not designed for seismic loading. Events at this size frequently trigger long aftershock sequences lasting months.

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake radiates roughly 2.7 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 873, which meets 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 →

When it happened locally

That is about 16:55 local solar time at the epicentre, during the afternoon.

This event was deeper than 67% of the 401 earthquakes recorded in Tonga in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.

Where was the epicentre?

The epicentre was located at -18.6678, -175.5600 — 166 km west of Neiafu. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.6 earthquake 10 km north-northwest of here on 30 March 2026.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Fakakai (163 km southeast), Nuku‘alofa (188 km south), Hihifo (211 km northeast) and Houma (232 km south-southwest).

Why the 229 km depth matters

At 229 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 its 229 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; 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

8 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.2.

144 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.0 event near Pangai on 30 March 2025. This M7.5 event released about 5.6 times more energy than that event.

14 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 0 of them in the past 30 days.

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, and of earthquakes in Tonga during March 2026. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in Tonga

All recorded earthquakes in Tonga →

Other magnitude 7 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 7 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Neiafu?

It measured magnitude 7.5 — a major earthquake. A magnitude 7.5 earthquake radiates roughly 2.7 million tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Neiafu?

The focus was 229 km below the surface, which counts as intermediate.

Was the Neiafu earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 7.5 and a focal depth of 229 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Neiafu happen?

24 March 2026 at 04:37 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

Have there been aftershocks?

8 further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event, the largest of them magnitude 5.2.

How often do earthquakes happen near Neiafu?

144 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 7.0 event near Pangai on 30 March 2025. This M7.5 event released about 5.6 times more energy than that event.