Seismic Activity in Papua New Guinea
Over the past 30 days, there have been 33 recorded earthquakes in this region. The largest recent earthquake was a magnitude 5.5 event near 116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea.
Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea
0 earthquakes in the last 24 hours• Latest significant: M5.5
Earthquake Map
Recent Earthquakes (Last 30 Days)
Dataset at a glance — Papua New Guinea
Over the past 30 days, Papua New Guinea has recorded 33 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater in our tracker. 7 reached magnitude 5.0 or higher. 26 landed between M4.0 and M4.9. By depth: 26 shallow (<70 km), 7 intermediate (70–300 km). 23 of the epicenters were offshore. 4 events produced at least one felt report, totalling 6 citizen submissions to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Cluster detection flagged 3 aftershock sequences; the largest contained 4 smaller events within 20 km and 72 hours of its mainshock. Focal depths ranged from 10.0 km to 235.0 km. All 33 solutions have been reviewed by a USGS seismologist.
Each row in the table below includes a narrative summary of the event, ordered by time. Use the column headers to sort or filter by magnitude.
Showing 30 of 33
| Time ↓ | Mag ↕ | Location ↕ | Depth ↕ | Felt ↕ | MMI | Alert | Status | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 days ago 2026-08-17 11:00:23 UTC | 5.1mb | 28 km SW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea -6.377°, 149.358° | 35.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
At 11:00 UTC on August 17, 2026, a magnitude 5.1 tremor occurred 28 km SW of Kandrian, Papua New Guinea. The event was offshore. See the M5.1 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
3 days ago 2026-08-16 22:02:28 UTC | 4.3mb | 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.638°, 138.969° | 35.3 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On August 16, 2026, Papua New Guinea registered a magnitude 4.3 earthquake 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia at 22:02 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M4.3 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
3 days ago 2026-08-16 10:59:11 UTC | 5.5mww | 116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea -5.543°, 146.788° | 147.7 km | 1 | III | green | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On August 16, 2026 at 10:59 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea. The USGS PAGER system assigned a green alert level for this event, signalling no significant casualties or damage expected. It is the largest earthquake currently listed for Papua New Guinea over the past 30 days. See the M5.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
3 days ago 2026-08-16 08:06:50 UTC | 4.6mb | 68 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea -5.530°, 146.327° | 130.1 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake was recorded 68 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea on August 16, 2026 at 08:06 UTC. See the M4.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
4 days ago 2026-08-15 11:10:24 UTC | 5.4mb | 41 km SSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea -4.411°, 143.921° | 120.2 km | 1 | III | green | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 5.4 earthquake was recorded 41 km SSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea on August 15, 2026 at 11:10 UTC. The USGS PAGER system assigned a green alert level for this event, signalling no significant casualties or damage expected. See the M5.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
6 days ago 2026-08-13 12:44:59 UTC | 5.0mb | 45 km SSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea -4.432°, 143.888° | 134.0 km | 2 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
The USGS recorded this magnitude 5.0 earthquake 45 km SSW of Angoram, Papua New Guinea at 12:44 UTC on August 13, 2026. See the M5.0 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-11 2026-08-11 23:33:14 UTC | 4.7mb | 167 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia -3.938°, 139.939° | 34.3 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On August 11, 2026 at 23:33 UTC, a magnitude 4.7 earthquake struck 167 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia. See the M4.7 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-11 2026-08-11 17:06:18 UTC | 5.0mb | 107 km WNW of Kerema, Papua New Guinea -7.634°, 144.858° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
This magnitude 5.0 event was detected 107 km WNW of Kerema, Papua New Guinea on August 11, 2026, with origin time 17:06 UTC. See the M5.0 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-10 2026-08-10 23:14:52 UTC | 4.2mb | 105 km N of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea -5.609°, 147.961° | 143.4 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
This magnitude 4.2 event was detected 105 km N of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea on August 10, 2026, with origin time 23:14 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-06 2026-08-06 16:01:59 UTC | 4.9mb | 195 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea -3.323°, 148.477° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Reports of a magnitude 4.9 earthquake 195 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea came in on August 6, 2026 at 16:01 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M4.9 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-05 2026-08-05 19:46:26 UTC | 5.2mb | 31 km SSW of Ialibu, Papua New Guinea -6.522°, 143.844° | 10.0 km | 2 | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On August 5, 2026, Papua New Guinea registered a magnitude 5.2 earthquake 31 km SSW of Ialibu, Papua New Guinea at 19:46 UTC. See the M5.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-02 2026-08-02 05:38:58 UTC | 4.8mb | 41 km S of Mendi, Papua New Guinea -6.523°, 143.637° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.8 seismic event took place 41 km S of Mendi, Papua New Guinea on August 2, 2026 at 05:38 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M4.8 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-02 2026-08-02 05:10:48 UTC | 4.4mb | 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.626°, 138.967° | 36.4 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
August 2, 2026 brought a magnitude 4.4 earthquake 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia, logged at 05:10 UTC. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 4.5 earthquake that occurred about 8 hours earlier. The event was offshore. See the M4.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-08-01 2026-08-01 21:26:07 UTC | 4.5mb | 188 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.612°, 138.939° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
The USGS recorded this magnitude 4.5 earthquake 188 km W of Abepura, Indonesia at 21:26 UTC on August 1, 2026. The event was offshore. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 20:16:22 UTC | 4.2mb | 189 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.614°, 138.925° | 36.1 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Reports of a magnitude 4.2 earthquake 189 km W of Abepura, Indonesia came in on July 30, 2026 at 20:16 UTC. It arrived roughly 42 hours after a larger magnitude 4.8 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. The event was offshore. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 14:00:14 UTC | 4.5mb | 199 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.745°, 138.843° | 35.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
This magnitude 4.5 event was detected 199 km W of Abepura, Indonesia on July 30, 2026, with origin time 14:00 UTC. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 4.8 earthquake that occurred about 35 hours earlier. The event was offshore. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 13:21:53 UTC | 4.2mb | 200 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.840°, 138.846° | 35.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.2 seismic event took place 200 km W of Abepura, Indonesia on July 30, 2026 at 13:21 UTC. This event falls inside the aftershock decay of a nearby magnitude 4.3 earthquake that occurred about 8 hours earlier. The event was offshore. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 08:16:16 UTC | 4.4mb | 179 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.527°, 139.016° | 39.8 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On July 30, 2026 at 08:16 UTC, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck 179 km W of Abepura, Indonesia. Coming 30 hours after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the immediate vicinity, it is most likely an aftershock of that larger rupture. The event was offshore. See the M4.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 05:43:41 UTC | 4.3mb | 192 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.831°, 138.918° | 38.1 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
At 05:43 UTC on July 30, 2026, a magnitude 4.3 tremor occurred 192 km W of Abepura, Indonesia. The event was offshore. See the M4.3 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-30 2026-07-30 05:18:53 UTC | 4.5mb | 182 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.614°, 138.996° | 20.2 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Reports of a magnitude 4.5 earthquake 182 km W of Abepura, Indonesia came in on July 30, 2026 at 05:18 UTC. Coming 27 hours after a magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the immediate vicinity, it is most likely an aftershock of that larger rupture. The event was offshore. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-29 2026-07-29 02:40:15 UTC | 4.8mb | 194 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.627°, 138.887° | 35.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
July 29, 2026 brought a magnitude 4.8 earthquake 194 km W of Abepura, Indonesia, logged at 02:40 UTC. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 4 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. See the M4.8 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-28 2026-07-28 19:17:44 UTC | 4.2mb | 121 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea -5.509°, 146.845° | 235.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
July 28, 2026 brought a magnitude 4.2 earthquake 121 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea, logged at 19:17 UTC. This is the deepest earthquake in the current dataset — an intermediate depth event. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-26 2026-07-26 21:29:24 UTC | 4.3mb | 59 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea -6.082°, 147.591° | 96.8 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
The USGS recorded this magnitude 4.3 earthquake 59 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea at 21:29 UTC on July 26, 2026. See the M4.3 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-26 2026-07-26 11:41:50 UTC | 4.2mb | 31 km SW of Vanimo, Papua New Guinea -2.886°, 141.107° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On July 26, 2026 at 11:41 UTC, a magnitude 4.2 earthquake struck 31 km SW of Vanimo, Papua New Guinea. The event was offshore. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-26 2026-07-26 06:58:16 UTC | 4.2mb | 50 km NNW of Kokoda, Papua New Guinea -8.442°, 147.593° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.2 earthquake was recorded 50 km NNW of Kokoda, Papua New Guinea on July 26, 2026 at 06:58 UTC. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-24 2026-07-24 14:54:03 UTC | 4.2mb | 182 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.571°, 138.991° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 4.2 earthquake 182 km W of Abepura, Indonesia with origin time 14:54 UTC on July 24, 2026. Coming 3 hours after a magnitude 5.4 earthquake in the immediate vicinity, it is most likely an aftershock of that larger rupture. The event was offshore. See the M4.2 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-24 2026-07-24 12:41:37 UTC | 4.6mb | 183 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.672°, 138.983° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 4.6 earthquake 183 km W of Abepura, Indonesia with origin time 12:41 UTC on July 24, 2026. It arrived roughly 1 hours after a larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. The event was offshore. See the M4.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-24 2026-07-24 12:24:26 UTC | 4.5mb | 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.628°, 138.962° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
A magnitude 4.5 seismic event took place 185 km W of Abepura, Indonesia on July 24, 2026 at 12:24 UTC. It arrived roughly 1 hours after a larger magnitude 5.4 mainshock in the same 20 km area, placing it within the typical aftershock window. The event was offshore. See the M4.5 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-24 2026-07-24 12:14:28 UTC | 5.4mb | 191 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.569°, 138.907° | 10.0 km | - | V | green | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
Seismographs logged a magnitude 5.4 earthquake 191 km W of Abepura, Indonesia with origin time 12:14 UTC on July 24, 2026. In the 72 hours after this event, the USGS recorded 3 smaller earthquakes within 20 km, consistent with an ongoing aftershock sequence rooted here. The USGS PAGER system assigned a green alert level for this event, signalling no significant casualties or damage expected. See the M5.4 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
2026-07-24 2026-07-24 11:21:52 UTC | 4.6mb | 193 km W of Abepura, Indonesia -2.562°, 138.896° | 10.0 km | - | - | - | ✓ Reviewed | USGS → |
On July 24, 2026, Papua New Guinea registered a magnitude 4.6 earthquake 193 km W of Abepura, Indonesia at 11:21 UTC. The event was offshore. See the M4.6 event page for the full report, ShakeMap, and citizen-reported intensity data. | ||||||||
Legend:
Mag: Magnitude (magType = ml, mb, mw, etc.)
Felt: Number of DYFI felt reports
MMI: Modified Mercalli Intensity (I-X+)
Alert: PAGER alert level
Depth: Shallow (<70km), Intermediate, Deep (>300km)
Status: Auto = preliminary, Reviewed = verified by seismologist
Click any row to see additional technical details.
Earthquake Statistics
Last 24 Hours0
Last 30 Days33
2026 (M2.5+)279
Largest (30 Days)
M5.5
116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea
3 days ago
Largest in 2026
M6.4
196 km SE of Lorengau, Papua New Guinea
2026-07-13
Data from USGS Earthquake Hazards Program. Updated every 5 minutes.
About Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire at the collision zone of multiple tectonic plates, experiencing frequent large earthquakes.
Papua New Guinea Earthquakes 2026
In 2026, Papua New Guinea has recorded 279 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5 or greater so far. The largest earthquake in Papua New Guinea in 2026 was a magnitude 6.4 event near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many earthquakes occur in Papua New Guinea?
In the past 30 days, 33 earthquakes have been recorded in the Papua New Guinea region.
What was the biggest recent earthquake in Papua New Guinea?
The largest recent earthquake in the Papua New Guinea area was a magnitude 5.5 event that occurred 116 km ESE of Madang, Papua New Guinea.
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