In the evening of Friday April 4th, 2025, a significant MAG-5.2 earthquake hit under land 54 kilometer from Madang in Papua New Guinea.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 54 kilometer (34 mi) south of Madang. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 115 km.
| Date and Time: | Apr 4, 2025 20:51 (Port Moresby Time) - Apr 4, 2025 10:51 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 54 km south of Madang, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°41'52"S 145°42'38"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.2 Detected by 194 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.042 . |
| Depth: | 115 km (72 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 . Madang in Madang, Papua New Guinea is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 54 kilometer (34 mi) south of Madang.
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 54 km (34 mi) N from epicenter |
Madang Madang, Papua New Guinea. |
| 56 km (35 mi) SW from epicenter |
Goroka Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| 165 km (103 mi) W from epicenter |
Mount Hagen Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| 182 km (113 mi) SE from epicenter |
Lae Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
| 196 km (122 mi) SSE from epicenter |
Bulolo Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
| 233 km (145 mi) WSW from epicenter |
Mendi Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
Shaking reported by 4 people
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 4 people have 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:
- Goroka, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea: 4 people.
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
Aftershocks are usually at least 1 order of magnitude less strong than main shocks. The more time passes, the smaller the chance and likely strength of any potential aftershocks.
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 September 19th, 2024, when a 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit 194 km (120 mi) further east. An even stronger magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck on September 10th, 2022.
In total, 95 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.2 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 month.
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 (24 km from the sea). | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 115 km (72 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 27/04/25 13:48 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000q3wx
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20250404_0000131
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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