M5.0 Earthquake 89 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea — August 11, 2026
2026-08-11 20:31:28 UTC (2 hours ago) · approx. 6:31 AM UTC+10 local
On August 11, 2026 at 20:31 UTC, a magnitude 5.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 89 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 68.9 km and coordinates -4.7193°, 152.9875°. This earthquake was detected by 121 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 385, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Papua New Guinea, a region characterized by the collision and subduction of the Pacific, Australian, and Solomon Sea plates. View all earthquakes in Papua New Guinea.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
152.9875°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.0 earthquake near Kokopo, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 5.0 earthquake that struck 89 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on August 11, 2026 at 20:31 UTC had a depth of 68.9 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -4.7193°, 152.9875°, which is 89 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea. View all earthquakes in Papua New Guinea.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.0 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Papua New Guinea had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Papua New Guinea was the M8.0 New Britain earthquake of July 18, 1971. Today's magnitude 5.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tk29). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 11, 2026). M5.0 Earthquake 89 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea — August 11, 2026. Retrieved August 11, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tk29/