In the early afternoon of Thursday October 29th, 2026, a shallow and significant M5.7 earthquake hit under land 200 kilometer from Mendi in Papua New Guinea. Around 380 thousand people have been exposed to shaking.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 200 kilometer (124 mi) west of Mendi in Southern Highlands. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 10 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | Oct 29, 2026 13:26 (Port Moresby Time) - Oct 29, 2026 03:26 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 200 km west of Mendi, Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 5°41'57"S 141°54'6"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.7 Detected by 52 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.083 . |
| Depth: | 10 km (6 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Max. Intensity: | VIII
Severe On the Modified Mercalli Scale. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough 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 380 thousand people exposed to shaking
The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 380 thousand have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.
An estimated 10 people were exposed to level VII. At this level, very strong shaking and likely moderate damage can be expected. Intensity level IV was experienced by the majority of people (around 260 thousand). In their region, light shaking and likely no damage can be expected.
People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. In Papua New Guinea , around 380 thousand people, with impact levels up to VII (very strong shaking, likely moderate damage). In Indonesia, shaking was experienced too.
| People | MMI Level | Shaking | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | I |
Not noticable | None |
| 0 | II |
Very weak | None |
| 115,000 | III |
Weak | Probably none |
| 260,600 | IV |
Light | Likely none |
| 810 | V |
Moderate | Very light |
| 570 | VI |
Strong | Light |
| 10 | 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 . Located 200 kilometer (124 mi) west of the epicenter of this earthquake, Mendi (Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea) is the nearest significant population center.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 200 km (124 mi) E from epicenter |
Mendi Southern Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
| 258 km (160 mi) E from epicenter |
Mount Hagen Western Highlands, Papua New Guinea. |
Earthquake Intensity Map
The intensity in shaking and damage by this earthquake is illustrated through the map below. The highest intensity measured for this earthquake is VII.
Risk of aftershocks?
We have not yet detected any foreshocks or aftershocks (MAG-2.5 or higher) within 100km (62 mi) of this earthquake.
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).This is the strongest earthquake in 3 years
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since March 23rd, 2024, when a 6.9 magnitude earthquake hit 222 km (138 mi) further north-east. An even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck on February 25th, 2018.
In total, 13 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.7 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 9 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. 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 5.7. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 10 km (6 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 29/10/26 05:08 (). 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 us7000ttw5
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20261029_0000047
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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