M 7.8 earthquake – 159 km W of Pangai, Tonga
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Local time: Dec 14, 1950 · 14:12 (UTC+12:20)
MajorIntermediate · 216 km
Reviewed by a seismologist
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- Magnitude
- 7.8moment magnitude (mw)
- Depth
- 216 kmIntermediate earthquake
- Epicenter
- -19.705, -175.874174 km from Nuku‘alofa
- Energy released
- 7.6 megatons of TNTabout 504 × Hiroshima
- Felt reports
- —"Did You Feel It?" responses
- Shaking intensity
- —not estimated
- Aftershocks
- 0M2.5+ within 218 km
- Significance
- 936USGS score, 0–1,000+
The strongest here since 1919
The last earthquake at least as strong within 300 km struck on Jan 1, 1919.
How strong was it?
Major earthquake. It released 7.6 megatons of TNT, 15,849 times the energy of a magnitude 5.0. Bars use the magnitude scale: every step is about 32 times more energy.
The strongest earthquakes within 300 km
Since 1900, around Tonga.
- 8.2 2018 Fiji Earthquake Aug 19, 2018
- 8.0 2006 Tonga Earthquake May 3, 2006
- 8.0 Tonga Jan 4, 1903
- 7.8 192 km WSW of Haveluloto, Tonga Oct 14, 1997
- 7.8 Fiji region Jan 1, 1919
- 7.8 111 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga Jun 26, 1913
- 7.5 158 km W of Neiafu, Tonga Mar 24, 2026
- 7.5 110 km E of ‘Ohonua, Tonga Sep 8, 1948