M4.9 Earthquake 170 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea — August 20, 2026
2026-08-20 13:55:00 UTC (55 min ago) · approx. 11:55 PM UTC+10 local
On August 20, 2026 at 13:55 UTC, a magnitude 4.9 shallow crustal earthquake struck 170 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -1.1659°, 148.5355°. This earthquake was detected by 63 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 369, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.9 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 338 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 1.4 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
148.5355°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.9 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.9 earthquake that struck 170 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea on August 20, 2026 at 13:55 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -1.1659°, 148.5355°, which is 170 km NE of Lorengau, 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 4.9 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.9 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000tm42). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 20, 2026). M4.9 Earthquake 170 km NE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea — August 20, 2026. Retrieved August 20, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000tm42/