M4.2 Earthquake 285 km WNW of Houma, Tonga — August 15, 2026
2026-08-15 04:31:18 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 4:31 PM UTC-12 local
On August 15, 2026 at 04:31 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 deep-focus earthquake struck 285 km WNW of Houma, Tonga, at a depth of 544.7 km and coordinates -20.4191°, -177.9262°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 30 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 476 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-177.9262°E
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.2 earthquake near Houma, Tonga?
The magnitude 4.2 earthquake that struck 285 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on August 15, 2026 at 04:31 UTC had a depth of 544.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.2 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.2 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tkwe). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 15, 2026). M4.2 Earthquake 285 km WNW of Houma, Tonga — August 15, 2026. Retrieved August 15, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tkwe/