275 km SW of Houma, Tonga
Geographic Context
This earthquake event occurred near Nuku‘alofa (approximately 285 km away) in Tonga, an area that experiences a range of natural hazards.
Event Assessment
This event is a moderate earthquake measuring 5.7 on the magnitude scale, with a focal depth of 154 km. Events of this magnitude are typically felt over a wide area and may cause damage to vulnerable structures. Calamity.live has classified it as "medium" severity with a severity value of 45.6. The computed Calamity Score is 22 out of 100, suggesting contained impact at this time. The primary scoring components are: historical (80), intensity (34). Data for this event was sourced from usgs, one of the 250 scientific monitoring sources aggregated by Calamity.live.
Regional Monitoring Context
Tonga has a documented history of earthquake events. Seismic monitoring in the region draws on data from multiple agencies including USGS, EMSC, and regional networks. Understanding local seismicity helps emergency management agencies plan for potential future events and assess building code adequacy. Earthquake hazard in any region depends on fault proximity, soil conditions, and building vulnerability — factors that can vary significantly even within a single metropolitan area.
Event Data
| Type | Earthquake |
| Severity | medium |
| Severity Value | 45.6 |
| Calamity Score | 22 / 100 |
| Confidence | 68% |
| Coordinates | -23.2041, -176.8485 |
| Nearest City | Nuku‘alofa (285 km) |
| Impact Tier | minor |
| Timestamp | 2026-05-12T21:19:36.870Z |
| Source | https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000sx9x |
Score Breakdown
Technical Details
| Mag | 5.7 |
| Depth | 154 |
| Tsunami | false |
| Mmi | 2.528 |
| Alert | green |
| Sig | 500 |
| Emsc Mag | 5.7 |
| Emsc Depth | -153.2 |
| Emsc MagType | mw |
| Emsc Region | SOUTH OF FIJI ISLANDS |
| Emsc Auth | EMSC |
| Emsc SourceId | 1993994 |
| MergedSources | [{"id":"emsc_20260512_0000335","source":"emsc","severity":"medium","severityValue":45.6,"timestamp":1778620776800,"latitude":-23.3406,"longitude":-176.8242}] |
Safety Information
If you feel shaking: Drop, Cover, and Hold On. Move away from windows, heavy objects, and exterior walls. After shaking stops, check for injuries and structural damage. Be prepared for aftershocks, which can occur minutes to months after the mainshock. Follow instructions from local emergency management authorities.
This data is aggregated algorithmically from scientific sources. Not a replacement for official emergency warnings.
Calamity.live data shows a earthquake event with CalamityScore 22/100, near Nuku‘alofa (Tonga), based on data from usgs. Source: Calamity.live, a platform aggregating real-time data from 207 scientific monitoring sources.