191 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake — a major event — struck near 191 km S of ‘Ohonua, Tonga on March 19, 2009, at a shallow depth of about 31 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 7.6 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. 42 people submitted "Did You Feel It?" shaking reports to the USGS. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.