In the early afternoon of Wednesday November 12th, 2025, a significant Magnitude 5.1 earthquake hit under land 29 kilometer from Goroka in Papua New Guinea.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 29 kilometer (18 mi) north-east of Goroka in Eastern Highlands. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 110 km.
| Date and Time: | Nov 12, 2025 13:23 (Port Moresby Time) - Nov 12, 2025 03:23 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 29 km NE of Goroka, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°52'57"S 145°33'31"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 51 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.08 . |
| Depth: | 110 km (68 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 . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Goroka in Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Goroka is located 29 kilometer (18 mi) north-east of the epicenter.
A complete list of nearby places is included below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 29 km (18 mi) SW from epicenter |
Goroka Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| 78 km (48 mi) NNE from epicenter |
Madang Madang, Papua New Guinea. |
| 147 km (91 mi) W from epicenter |
Mount Hagen Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| 184 km (114 mi) ESE from epicenter |
Lae Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
| 189 km (117 mi) SE from epicenter |
Bulolo Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
| 212 km (132 mi) W from epicenter |
Mendi Southern Highlands, 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:
- Madang, Madang, Papua New Guinea: 1 person.
Risk of aftershocks?
This earthquake did not have any significant foreshocks nor aftershocks occurring within 100km (62 mi) of its epicenter.
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 October 7th, 2025, when a 6.6 magnitude earthquake hit 169 km (105 mi) further south-east. An even stronger magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck on September 10th, 2022.
In total, 118 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 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 | Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 110 km (68 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 06/12/25 06:38 (). 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 us6000rmwc
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20251112_0000065
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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