Earthquake of Magnitude 7.6 strikes Neiafu in Tonga: USGS

Tonga earthquake today: The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said there was no Tsunami alert as the earthquake was too deep inside the earth.

Updated on: Mar 24, 2026, 10:35:28 IST

By HT News Desk

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A Magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Neiafu in Tonga region on Tuesday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), whose data showed the quake struck at a depth of over 235 kilometres. There were no immediate reports of any damages or injuries.

The epicentre of the earthquake was found to be 153 kilometres West of Neiafu in Tonga (Pixabay/Representative)

The earthquake struck 153 kilometres West of Neiafu, Tonga, an archipelago of 171 islands in the South Pacific. The earthquake occurred at around 4:37 (UTC) at a depth of 237.5 km, USGS data said.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) said there was no Tsunami alert as the earthquake was too deep inside the earth.

This comes a day after Tonga's Hihifo was shaken by an earthquake of Magnitude 6.2. The quake on Monday was at a depth of 79.7 km (49.52 miles), according to the USGS.

Nepal also reported an earthquake on Monday with 4.1 magnitude jolts hitting its Sudurpaschim province in the afternoon.

There was no immediate reports of any loss of life or damage to property.

According to the Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the tremor was recorded at 1:14 pm. The epicentre of the quake was located near the Rayal area of Bajhang.

Tremors were also felt by residents in neighbouring districts, including Bajura and Baitadi. A Magnitude 4 earthquake struck the Sudurpaschim province on March 17.

The earthquake hit the Sitaula area of the Darchula district, according to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre.

Nepal, which experiences multiple earthquakes in any given year, lies in one of the most active tectonic zones (Seismic zones IV and V), making it extremely vulnerable to earthquakes.

The Himalayan nation ranks 11th among the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

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