M 7.2 earthquake – 157 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga

Oct 30, 1986 · 01:28 UTC · Oct 30, 1986
Local time: Oct 30, 1986 · 14:28 (UTC+13)

MajorIntermediate · 188 km Reviewed by a seismologist

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Magnitude: 7.2moment magnitude (mw)
Depth: 188 kmIntermediate earthquake
Epicenter: -21.702, -176.616160 km from Nuku‘alofa
Energy released: 951 kilotons of TNTabout 63 × Hiroshima
Felt reports: —"Did You Feel It?" responses
Shaking intensity: 4.8max. instrumental (MMI)
Aftershocks: 1M2.5+ within 96 km, up to 60 days
Significance: 798USGS score, 0–1,000+

The strongest here since 1982

The last earthquake at least as strong within 300 km struck on Dec 19, 1982.

How strong was it?

Major earthquake. It released 951 kilotons of TNT, 1,995 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0. Bars use the magnitude scale: every step is about 32 times more energy.

Chile 1960 M 9.5

Japan 2011 M 9.1

San Francisco 1906 M 7.9

Turkey 2023 M 7.8

This earthquake M 7.2

Haiti 2010 M 7.0

Northridge 1994 M 6.7

Aftershocks

1 earthquakes of M2.5+ within 96 km in the 60 days after.

4.5 167 km SW of Haveluloto, Tonga 37 km away · 195 km deep Oct 30, 1986Oct 30, 1986

The strongest earthquakes within 300 km

Since 1900, around Tonga.