Open Earth
6.1
EarthquakeMajor

M6.1 earthquake - 182 km W of Pangai, Tonga

19884 d ago · 8 May 1972, 16:15 UTC 182 km W of Pangai, Tonga

What happened

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck 182 km W of Pangai, Tonga on 8 May 1972, 16:15 UTC at a depth of 31 km.

Earthquakes of this size are classed as Strong. Can cause damage in populated areas up to tens of kilometres away. This was a shallow earthquake, which tends to be felt more strongly at the surface.

The nearest town in our records is Nuku‘alofa, about 200 km away in Tongatapu, Tonga.

Timeline

  1. First reported by USGS

    16 Oct 2026, 20:46 UTC

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