M7.0 Earthquake 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea — July 17, 2020
2020-07-17 02:50:22 UTC (2020-07-17) · approx. 12:50 PM UTC+10 local
Felt by 103 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 7.0 (severe).
On July 17, 2020 at 02:50 UTC, a magnitude 7.0 intermediate depth earthquake struck 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 73.0 km and coordinates -7.8360°, 147.7704°. The earthquake was reported felt by 103 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 7.0 (severe). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Popondetta (population 28,198).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 7.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 477 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 41 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
Nearest Populated Places
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 7.0 (severe), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Very strong shaking. Difficult to stand. Damage to weak structures; slight damage to well-built structures. Furniture broken. Fallen plaster and loose bricks.
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 103 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 1,780,275 |
| MMI 4 | light | 1,981,694 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 461,895 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 120,490 |
| MMI 7 | very strong | 25,039 |
Earthquake Details
147.7704°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 7.0 earthquake near Popondetta, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea on July 17, 2020 at 02:50 UTC had a depth of 73.0 km. It was felt by 103 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 7.0 (severe). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -7.8360°, 147.7704°, which is 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea. The nearest populated place is Popondetta (population 28,198). View all earthquakes in Papua New Guinea.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 7.0 earthquakes can continue for months to years 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 7.0 event is within one magnitude unit of that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000aq3e). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2020, July 17, 2020). M7.0 Earthquake 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea — July 17, 2020. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000aq3e/