M5.8 earthquake - 280 km SW of Vaini, Tonga
1886 d ago · 17 Aug 2021, 17:24 UTC 280 km SW of Vaini, Tonga
What happened
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck 280 km SW of Vaini, Tonga on 17 Aug 2021, 17:24 UTC at a depth of 157 km.
Earthquakes of this size are classed as Moderate. Can damage poorly built structures close to the epicentre. This was an intermediate-depth earthquake, so shaking is spread over a wider, gentler area.
The nearest town in our records is Nuku‘alofa, about 283 km away in Tongatapu, Tonga.
Timeline
First reported by USGS
16 Oct 2026, 20:47 UTC
Community
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