A significant MAG-5.0 earthquake struck under land 141 kilometer from Kokopo in Papua New Guinea in the evening of Thursday September 24th, 2026.
Felt the earthquake? Share this article: 
Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 141 kilometer (88 mi) southwest of Kokopo in East New Britain. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 108 km.
| Date and Time: | Sep 24, 2026 22:30 (Port Moresby Time) - Sep 24, 2026 12:30 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 141 km SW of Kokopo, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°20'5"S 151°28'31"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.0 Detected by 9 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.103 . |
| Depth: | 108 km (67 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 141 kilometer (88 mi) southwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Kokopo (East New Britain, Papua New Guinea) is the nearest significant population center.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 141 km (88 mi) NE from epicenter |
Kokopo East New Britain, Papua New Guinea. |
| 150 km (93 mi) W from epicenter |
Kimbe West New Britain, Papua New Guinea. |
Risk of aftershocks?
This earthquake did not have any significant foreshocks nor aftershocks occurring within 100km (62 mi) of its epicenter.
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
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 16th, 2026, when a 5.1 magnitude earthquake hit 85 km (53 mi) further south-east. An even stronger magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck on December 17th, 2016.
In total, 478 earthquakes with a magnitude of 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 8 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 (20 km from the sea). | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 108 km (67 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 20/10/26 15:38 (). 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 us6000txbm
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260924_0000178
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
Share this article:
