A map showing the location of a magnitude 7.5 earthquake that happened near Tonga in the Pacific Ocean on March 24, 2026. Image courtesy USGS A magnitude-7.5 earthquake struck the South Pacific near Tonga on Tuesday, the strongest quake recorded anywhere in the world so far in 2026. The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake's epicenter was roughly 95 miles west of Neiafu, Tonga, and around 370 miles east of Fiji, with shaking felt on some nearby islands. There were no immediate reports of major