In the Bismarck Sea 120 kilometer from Lae, Papua New Guinea, a significant MAG-5.5 earthquake occurred in the evening of Sunday August 16th, 2026. Roughly 2.5 million people may have felt this earthquake.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Bismarck Sea, right off the coast of Papua New Guinea (7 mi offshore), 120 kilometer north of Lae in Morobe. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 137 km.
| Date and Time: | Aug 16, 2026 20:59 (Port Moresby Time) - Aug 16, 2026 10:59 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 120 km north of Lae, Morobe, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°40'25"S 146°45'38"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.5 Detected by 25 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.062 . |
| Depth: | 137 km (85 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | IV
Light On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 at depths deeper than 100km are very unlikely to cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Minimal impact predicted
Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.
The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.
Roughly 2.5 million people exposed to shaking
This earthquake may have been felt by around 2.5 million people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.
The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is IV, which corresponds with light shaking and likely no damage. Roughly 87,260 people are expected to be exposed to this level. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 2.2 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected. All exposure to shaking was within the borders of Papua New Guinea .
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 188,800 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 2,203,000 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 87,260 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
| 0 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
| 0 | VI |
Strong | Light |
| 0 | VII |
Very Strong | Moderate |
| 0 | VIII |
Severe | Moderate to heavy |
| 0 | IX |
Violent | Heavy |
| 0 | X |
Extreme | Very heavy |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Papua New Guinea . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Madang in Madang, Papua New Guinea. Madang is located 119 kilometer (74 mi) south-east of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Madang is estimated to be around level IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (light shaking, likely no damage).
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake. Where available, the estimated intensity on the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale in each place is included. Places where this information is omitted likely experienced little impact.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place | Intensity (MMI) |
|---|---|---|
| 119 km (74 mi) NW from epicenter |
Madang Madang, Papua New Guinea. |
IV
Light |
| 120 km (75 mi) S from epicenter |
Lae Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
III
Weak |
| 159 km (99 mi) W from epicenter |
Goroka Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
III
Weak |
| 171 km (106 mi) S from epicenter |
Bulolo Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
III
Weak |
| 281 km (175 mi) W from epicenter |
Mount Hagen Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The graph below overlays a map of the region around the epicenter with earthquake intensity data provided by the US Geographic Survey. The highest intensity level detected for this earthquake is IV.
Shaking reported by 2 people
People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 2 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:
- Kainantu, Eastern Highlands, Papua New Guinea: 2 people.
Aftershocks detected
This main shock was prefaced by 3 smaller foreshocks. A 4.7 magnitude earthquake hit 3 hrs earlier nearby.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 4.2 |
1 day earlier Aug 15, 2026 12:22 (Port Moresby Time) | 58 km (36 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.2 |
5 hrs earlier Aug 16, 2026 15:59 (Port Moresby Time) | 71 km (44 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.7 |
3 hrs earlier Aug 16, 2026 18:06 (Port Moresby Time) | 47 km (29 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock This Earthquake |
M 5.5 |
Aug 16, 2026 20:59 (Port Moresby Time) | - |
More earthquakes coming?
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 February 21st, 2026, when a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit 108 km (67 mi) further west. An even stronger magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck on September 10th, 2022.
In total, 67 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.5 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 2 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
For a serious tsunami to occur, earthquakes usually need to have a magnitude of at least 6.5 and occur at a shallow depth of maximum 100km. Neither are the case with this earthquake. 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 under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.5. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 137 km (85 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 09/09/26 13:28 (). 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 usd0015e7p
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260816_0000386
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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