Magnitude 5.5 earthquake — Neiafu, Tonga
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck near Neiafu, Tonga at a depth of about 165 km. Details, shaking intensity and any tsunami information are on the USGS event page.
New here? Start with this
Tonga is an island nation in the South Pacific, located about 2,000 kilometres east of New Zealand. Neiafu is the principal town in the Vava'u group of islands in Tonga's northern region. The country sits in one of the world's most seismically active zones, with frequent earthquakes as a result.
Earthquakes in Tonga are caused by the movement of major sections of the Earth's crust along tectonic boundaries. While the country experiences many earthquakes, most are relatively minor and cause little damage to people or buildings. Deeper earthquakes, like this one recorded at 165 kilometres below the surface, typically cause less ground-level shaking than shallower earthquakes of similar magnitude.