Around noon of Sunday September 8th, 2024, a shallow and strong Magnitude 6.0 earthquake hit in the South Pacific Ocean 141 kilometer from Nuku‘alofa, Tonga. Around 90 thousand people have been exposed to shaking.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the South Pacific Ocean, 133 kilometers (83 mi) off the coast of Tonga, 141 kilometer east of Nuku‘alofa in Tongatapu. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
Date and Time: | Sep 8, 2024 11:39AM (Tongatapu Time) - Sep 7, 2024 22:39 Universal Time. |
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Location: | 141 km east of Nuku‘alofa, Tongatapu, Tonga. Coordinates 21°19'47"S 173°51'35"W. |
Map: | Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
Magnitude: | MAG 6.0 Detected by 24 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.063 . |
Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth. |
Max. Intensity: | V
Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Minimal impact predicted
Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities, and a 96% chance that the number of fatalities falls no higher than 10.
The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 65% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact, and a 96% chance that the economic impact of this earthquake falls no higher than 10 million USD.
Roughly 90 thousand people exposed to shaking
This earthquake may have been felt by around 90 thousand people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.
Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 82,660 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Tonga .
People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
---|---|---|---|
0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
0 | II |
Very weak | None |
10,050 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
82,660 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
0 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
0 | VI |
Strong | Light |
0 | VII |
Very Strong | Moderate |
0 | VIII |
Severe | Moderate to heavy |
0 | IX |
Violent | Heavy |
0 | X |
Extreme | Very heavy |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Tonga . Located 141 kilometer (88 mi) east of the epicenter of this earthquake, Nuku‘alofa (Tongatapu, Tonga) is the nearest significant population center. Nuku‘alofa experienced an earthquake intensity (MMI Scale) of roughly IV. That level implies light shaking and likely no damage.
Overview of nearby places
Distance | Place | Intensity (MMI) |
---|---|---|
141 km (88 mi) W from epicenter |
Nuku‘alofa Tongatapu, Tonga. |
IV
Light |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is IV.
Shaking reported by 3 people
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 3 people have reported shaking in 2 places in Tonga.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.
Places with most reports:
- Nukuʿalofa, Tongatapu, Tonga: 2 people.
- Ohonua, Eua, Tonga: 1 person.
Aftershocks detected
After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. At a distance of 24 km (15 mi) east of this earthquake, an aftershock struck 1 day later. It measured a magnitude of 4.9
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
---|---|---|---|
Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 6.0 |
Sep 8, 2024 11:39AM (Tongatapu Time) | - |
Aftershock | M 4.9 |
1 day later Sep 9, 2024 10:13PM (Tongatapu Time) | 24 km (15 mi) E from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since August 25th, 2024, when a 6 magnitude earthquake hit 209 km (130 mi) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck on November 11th, 2022.
In total, 16 earthquakes with a magnitude of 6 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 8 months.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
---|---|---|---|
Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 6. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 09/10/24 02:28 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.