M4.4 Earthquake 284 km WNW of Houma, Tonga — August 18, 2026
2026-08-18 23:53:51 UTC (39 min ago) · approx. 11:53 AM UTC-12 local
On August 18, 2026 at 23:53 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 deep-focus earthquake struck 284 km WNW of Houma, Tonga, at a depth of 513.2 km and coordinates -20.1027°, -177.7900°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 60 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 655 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
Earthquake Details
-177.7900°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.4 earthquake near Houma, Tonga?
The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that struck 284 km WNW of Houma, Tonga on August 18, 2026 at 23:53 UTC had a depth of 513.2 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 4.4 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.4 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tls4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 18, 2026). M4.4 Earthquake 284 km WNW of Houma, Tonga — August 18, 2026. Retrieved August 19, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tls4/