M4.8 Earthquake 125 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga — November 25, 2024
2024-11-25 14:10:27 UTC (2024-11-25) · approx. 2:10 AM UTC-12 local
Felt by 1 person across nearby locations. Aftershock of the M5.0 mainshock.
On November 25, 2024 at 14:10 UTC, a magnitude 4.8 shallow crustal earthquake struck 125 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -15.1956°, -172.9208°. This earthquake was detected by 43 seismic stations with good location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 355, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 239 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.2 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 5.0 mainshock that occurred 14 days ago 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa. 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
-172.9208°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Hihifo, Tonga?
The magnitude 4.8 earthquake that struck 125 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga on November 25, 2024 at 14:10 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -15.1956°, -172.9208°, which is 125 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga. View all earthquakes in Tonga.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.8 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.0 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.8 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.0 mainshock that occurred earlier 141 km SSW of Gataivai, Samoa. 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 4.8 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Actions
Location
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000p7ks). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2024, November 25, 2024). M4.8 Earthquake 125 km NE of Hihifo, Tonga — November 25, 2024. Retrieved February 2, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000p7ks/