M6.0 earthquake - 142 km E of Hihifo, Tonga
19656 d ago · 22 Dec 1972, 16:22 UTC 142 km E of Hihifo, Tonga
What happened
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck 142 km E of Hihifo, Tonga on 22 Dec 1972, 16:22 UTC at a depth of 15 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 Apia, about 264 km away in Tuamasaga, Samoa.
Timeline
First reported by USGS
16 Oct 2026, 20:46 UTC
Community
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