7.5 Quake Rattles Tonga as Ring of Fire Stirs and Tsunami Sirens Wail (Video)

The largest recorded earthquake of the year – so far – hit off the coast of Tonga in the Pacific Ocean, sparking initial concerns for tsunami potential before dissipating.

Documenting the tremor, the United States Geological Survey noted: “The March 23, 2026, M 7.5 Tonga earthquake occurred as the result of normal faulting at intermediate depth. Focal mechanism solutions indicate rupture occurred on either a shallowly dipping fault striking southwest, or a steeply dipping fault striking northeast. In this region, the Pacific Plate subducts westward beneath the Australia Plate. The location and depth of the earthquake are consistent with faulting within the subducting Pacific Plate.”

Tonga and the Pacific Plate is within the notorious “Ring of Fire,” aka a horseshoe shape around the Pacific Ocean responsible for 75 percent of the world’s earthquakes. A tsunami warning was initially issued for this tremor, with sirens sounding in the Tongan capital of Nuku'alofa, but was later lifted. See the footage below.

ABC reported:

“Tsunami sirens were sounding in the Tongan capital Nuku'alofa after a magnitude 7.6 quake struck on Tuesday evening.

“A tsunami was not expected, given the quake was recorded at depth of 238km, according to the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.

“However, Tonga's National Emergency Operation Centre put out an urgent tsunami alert for the country, and while sirens have now stopped, people are still urged to take precautions and monitor official announcements.”

Last year, an 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula – also in the “Ring of Fire” – and sent relatively minor, yet noticeable, 16-foot tsunami waves to Russia, a flurry of wave action to Japan, and a 7-foot wave to the remote Midway Atoll. Could this be the earthquake and tsunami hotspot waking up again?

Stay tuned.