M4.1 Earthquake in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea — January 25, 2021
2021-01-25 21:34:54 UTC (2021-01-25) · approx. 7:34 AM UTC+10 local
On January 25, 2021 at 21:34 UTC, a magnitude 4.1 shallow crustal earthquake struck in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -5.0988°, 151.1680°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 21 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 406 m — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred 8 days ago 139 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
Earthquake Details
151.1680°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.1 earthquake in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.1 earthquake that struck in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea on January 25, 2021 at 21:34 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.1 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.2 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.1 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.2 mainshock that occurred earlier 139 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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Understanding This Data
Magnitude 4.1 earthquakes are often felt but rarely cause damage.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000ddwt). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 25, 2021). M4.1 Earthquake in the New Britain region, Papua New Guinea — January 25, 2021. Retrieved April 13, 2021 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000ddwt/