A significant MAG-5.3 earthquake struck under land 76 kilometer from Kimbe in Papua New Guinea in the late afternoon of Sunday September 1st, 2024.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 76 kilometer (47 mi) west-southwest of Kimbe in West New Britain. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 100 km.
| Date and Time: | Sep 1, 2024 17:38 (Port Moresby Time) - Sep 1, 2024 07:38 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 76 km WSW of Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°52'43"S 149°32'11"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.3 Detected by 13 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.086 . |
| Depth: | 100 km (62 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Papua New Guinea . Located 76 kilometer (47 mi) west-southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Kimbe (West New Britain, Papua New Guinea) is the nearest significant population center.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 76 km (47 mi) ENE from epicenter |
Kimbe West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. |
| 296 km (184 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Lae Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
Shaking reported by 1 person
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 1 person has reported shaking in one place in Papua New Guinea.We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.
Places with most reports:
- Kimbe, West New Britain, Papua New Guinea: 1 person.
Risk of aftershocks?
We monitor for foreshocks or aftershocks that have a magnitude of 2.5+ and occur within 100km (62 mi) of the epicenter of this earthquake. So far no such earthquakes have been detected.
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since May 21st, 2024, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 251 km (156 mi) further west-southwest. An even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on May 5th, 2015.
In total, 168 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 22 days.
Tsunami very unlikely
It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck on land near a coastal area (25 km from the sea). | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 100 km (62 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 16/09/24 08:48 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000np0y
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20240901_0000070
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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