Moderate mag. 5.3 earthquake - South Pacific Ocean, 153 km southwest of Nuku\'alofa, Tongatapu, on Wednesday, 25 Nov 2020 3:07 am (GMT +13) -
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Séisme modéré magnitude 5.3 at 60 km depth
24 Nov 14:30 UTC: Premier à signaler: EMSC après 23 minutes.
24 Nov 14:31: Profondeur recalculée de 63.0 à 60.0 km (de 39 à 37 mi). Emplacement de l'épicentre corrigé de 1.1 km (0.7 mi) au N.
24 Nov 15:22: Profondeur recalculée de 80.0 à 60.0 km (de 50 à 37 mi). Emplacement de l'épicentre corrigé de 8.5 km (5.3 mi) au WNW.
24 Nov 14:31: Profondeur recalculée de 63.0 à 60.0 km (de 39 à 37 mi). Emplacement de l'épicentre corrigé de 1.1 km (0.7 mi) au N.
24 Nov 15:22: Profondeur recalculée de 80.0 à 60.0 km (de 50 à 37 mi). Emplacement de l'épicentre corrigé de 8.5 km (5.3 mi) au WNW.
Update Tue, 24 Nov 2020, 14:33
Significant magnitude 5.2 earthquake 152 km southwest of Nuku‘alofa, Tonga5.2 quake SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS, Tonga, 25 Nov 3.07 am (GMT +13)
A intermediate magnitude 5.2 earthquake was reported early morning near Vaini, Tonga.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the quake hit on Wednesday 25 November 2020 at 3.07 am local time at an intermediate depth of 80 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter. Weak shaking might have been felt in Vaini (pop. 3,000) located 149 km from the epicenter, Malapo (pop. 500) 149 km away, Haveluloto (pop. 3,400) 150 km away, Nuku‘alofa (pop. 22,400) 152 km away, Tatakamotonga (pop. 3,000) 153 km away, ‘Ohonua (pop. 1,200) 153 km away, Lapaha (pop. 8,000) 154 km away, and Kolonga (pop. 1,100) 161 km away.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
According to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC), the quake hit on Wednesday 25 November 2020 at 3.07 am local time at an intermediate depth of 80 km. The exact magnitude, epicenter, and depth of the quake might be revised within the next few hours or minutes as seismologists review data and refine their calculations, or as other agencies issue their report.
Based on the preliminary seismic data, the quake should not have caused any significant damage, but was probably felt by many people as light vibration in the area of the epicenter. Weak shaking might have been felt in Vaini (pop. 3,000) located 149 km from the epicenter, Malapo (pop. 500) 149 km away, Haveluloto (pop. 3,400) 150 km away, Nuku‘alofa (pop. 22,400) 152 km away, Tatakamotonga (pop. 3,000) 153 km away, ‘Ohonua (pop. 1,200) 153 km away, Lapaha (pop. 8,000) 154 km away, and Kolonga (pop. 1,100) 161 km away.
VolcanoDiscovery will automatically update magnitude and depth if these change and follow up if other significant news about the quake become available. If you’re in the area, please send us your experience through our reporting mechanism, either online or via our mobile app. This will help us provide more first-hand updates to anyone around the globe who wants to know more about this quake.
Earthquake data:
Date & time: 24 Nov 2020 14:07:34 UTC -
Local time at epicenter: mercredi, 25 nov. 2020 03:07 (GMT +13)
Magnitude: 5.3
Profondeur: 60.0 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude: 22.23°S / 176.11°W

Volcan le plus près: Unnamed 21.38°S/175.65°W (106 km / 66 mi)
Nearby towns and cities:
152 km SO de Haveluloto (pop: 3,420) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
153 km SO de Nuku'alofa (pop: 22,400) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
153 km SO de Nuku‘alofa (pop: 22,400) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
156 km SO de ‘Ohonua (Ohonua) (pop: 1,240) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
163 km SO de Kolonga (pop: 1,100) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
325 km SSO de Pangai (pop: 1,740) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
456 km SSO de Neiafu (pop: 4,320) --> Voir les séismes à proximité!
Weather at epicenter at time of quake:
Overcast Clouds
24.1°C (75 F), humidity: 73%, wind: 5 m/s (10 kts) from ESE
Primary data source: EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)Overcast Clouds

Estimated released energy: 5.6 x 1012 joules (1.56 gigawatt hours, equivalent to 1344 tons of TNT) More info
Data for the same earthquake reported by different agencies
Info: The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
Magnitude | Profondeur | Location | Source |
M 5.3 | 60 km | SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS, Tonga | EMSC |
M 5.2 | 65 km | 150 Km SW of Vaini, Tonga | USGS |
M 5.1 | 123 km | South of Fiji Islands, Tonga | GFZ |
M 5.0 | 401 km | South of Fiji Islands | BMKG |
User reports for this quake
User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
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So far, no aftershocks have been registered.
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Recorded aftershocks, latest first (0 quakes):So far, no aftershocks have been registered.
Earlier earthquakes in the same area since 1900
- Date / time UTC| Mag |Profondeur|Age|Distance| Details
- 14 Oct 1997 09:53| 7.8 |167km / 104mi|il y a 23 ans|70km / 43mi| South Pacific Ocean, 194 km SW of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
- 19 Mar 2009 18:17| 7.6 |31km / 19mi|il y a 12 ans|174km / 108mi| South Pacific Ocean, 219 km S of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
- 08 Sep 1948 15:09| 7.5 |15km / 9.3mi|il y a 73 ans|255km / 159mi| South Pacific Ocean, 138 km E of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
- 23 May 2013 17:19| 7.4 |171km / 107mi|il y a 8 ans|135km / 84mi| South Pacific Ocean, 287 km SW of Nuku’alofa, Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
- 16 Apr 1937 03:01| 7.3 |330km / 205mi|il y a 84 ans|220km / 137mi| South Pacific Ocean, 522 km SE of Suva, Central, Fiji
- 16 Apr 1996 00:30| 7.2 |111km / 69mi|il y a 25 ans|225km / 140mi| South Pacific Ocean, Tonga
- 11 Jul 1992 10:44| 7.2 |377km / 234mi|il y a 29 ans|239km / 148mi| South Pacific Ocean, Fiji
- 30 Oct 1986 01:28| 7.2 |188km / 117mi|il y a 34 ans|79km / 49mi| South Pacific Ocean, 159 km SW of Nuku’alofa, Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
- 19 Dec 1982 17:43| 7.2 |33km / 21mi|il y a 38 ans|213km / 132mi| South Pacific Ocean, Tonga
- 09 Jun 1991 07:45| 7.0 |266km / 165mi|il y a 30 ans|220km / 137mi| South Pacific Ocean, 145 km NW of Nuku'alofa, Tongatapu
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