M 5.4 earthquake 99 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga

Source: USGS · Tonga

A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 99 km SSE of Pangai. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.4 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,838 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.4 event ranks stronger than 85% of them (rank #206 by magnitude).

The earthquake report, at a glance

Magnitude
M 5.4
USGS class
Moderate
Location
99 km SSE of Pangai
Archive rank
#206 of 1,838
Source
USGS
Published
September 29, 2026
MODERATE

Out of 1,838 earthquake reports Areazine has logged, this one outranks 85% of them — 205 recorded a higher magnitude.

Record status: a snapshot from USGS, not a final record. Check USGS's own event page for aftershocks and any later revision to the magnitude shown here.

What Happened

A magnitude 5.4 mb earthquake occurred at 99 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga, on 2026-10-29 at 12:00:35 UTC. The event was recorded at a depth of 10 km.

Location Details

The earthquake was located at coordinates latitude -20.6773, longitude -174.0813. The depth of 10 km classifies it as a shallow earthquake (less than 20 km).

Impact Assessment

The USGS assigned a green alert level. No tsunami was generated (tsunami advisory status: 0). No felt reports were recorded.

What You Should Know

This was a moderate earthquake. Shallow events can produce noticeable shaking in the immediate area.

Source

USGS Event Page

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

All Earthquakes →

Comparable nationwide notices (length or severity timing) 8

Beyond this USGS earthquake report's own category, Areazine surfaces two nationwide peer sets: length-matched and severity/date-matched notices from elsewhere in the archive, distinct from the same-feed Related list above.

Common Questions

What people usually ask about a notice like this one.

What magnitude was this earthquake? ▾
A magnitude 5.4 mb earthquake struck 99 km SSE of Pangai, Tonga, at a depth of 10 km.
What does a magnitude 5.4 ("Moderate") earthquake mean? ▾
The USGS classifies M5.4 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are felt over a wide area and can cause significant damage near the epicenter, particularly to older or unreinforced buildings.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported? ▾
This is the #206 strongest of the 1,838 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 85% of them and weaker than 205 others.
Was Pangai likely to feel this earthquake? ▾
This event was centered 99 km SSE of Pangai. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.