M5.1 Earthquake 126 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga — June 25, 2024
2024-06-25 06:45:33 UTC (2024-06-25) · approx. 6:45 PM UTC-12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.4 mainshock.
On June 25, 2024 at 06:45 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck 126 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -20.8857°, -173.8392°. This earthquake was detected by 91 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 400, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred 13 days ago 99 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
The epicenter is located in Tonga, a region characterized by the Tonga-Kermadec subduction zone, where the Pacific Plate descends at up to 240 mm per year — the fastest plate convergence on Earth. The nearest mapped fault system is the Tonga Trench. View all earthquakes in Tonga.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 1 citizen response to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Earthquake Details
-173.8392°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near ‘Ohonua, Tonga?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 126 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga on June 25, 2024 at 06:45 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -20.8857°, -173.8392°, which is 126 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga. View all earthquakes in Tonga.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.4 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.1 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock that occurred earlier 99 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Has Tonga had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Tonga was the M8.1 Tonga Trench earthquake of June 26, 1917. Today's magnitude 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
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Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000n82d). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, June 25, 2024). M5.1 Earthquake 126 km ENE of ‘Ohonua, Tonga — June 25, 2024. Retrieved September 4, 2024 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000n82d/