M4.6 Earthquake in the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea — January 23, 2023
2023-01-23 14:57:33 UTC (2023-01-23) · approx. 12:57 AM UTC+10 local
Aftershock of the M5.5 mainshock.
On January 23, 2023 at 14:57 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck in the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea, at a depth of 199.3 km and coordinates -5.4591°, 147.1621°. This earthquake was detected by 36 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 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 5.5 mainshock that occurred 18 days ago 116 km ESE of Madang, 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.
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
147.1621°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake in the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea?
The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck in the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea on January 23, 2023 at 14:57 UTC had a depth of 199.3 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -5.4591°, 147.1621°, which is in the eastern New Guinea region, 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 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.5 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 4.6 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.5 mainshock that occurred earlier 116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000j6ci). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2023, January 23, 2023). M4.6 Earthquake in the eastern New Guinea region, Papua New Guinea — January 23, 2023. Retrieved April 11, 2023 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000j6ci/