Under land 21 kilometer from Popondetta in Papua New Guinea, a significant MAG-5.2 earthquake occurred deep in the night of Wednesday November 11th, 2026.
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Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Papua New Guinea, 21 kilometer (13 mi) west of Popondetta in Northern Province. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 124 km.
| Date and Time: | Nov 11, 2026 03:36 (Port Moresby Time) - Nov 10, 2026 17:36 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 21 km west of Popondetta, Northern Province, Papua New Guinea. Coordinates 8°43'14"S 148°2'34"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.2 Detected by 19 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.071 . |
| Depth: | 124 km (77 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 21 kilometer (13 mi) west of the epicenter of this earthquake, Popondetta (Northern Province, Papua New Guinea) is the nearest significant population center.
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 21 km (13 mi) E from epicenter |
Popondetta Northern Province, Papua New Guinea. |
| 129 km (80 mi) SW from epicenter |
Port Moresby National Capital, Papua New Guinea. |
| 229 km (142 mi) NW from epicenter |
Bulolo Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
| 250 km (155 mi) NW from epicenter |
Lae Morobe, Papua New Guinea. |
Risk of aftershocks?
We monitor for foreshocks or aftershocks that have a magnitude of 2.5+ and occur within 100km (62 mi) of the epicenter of this earthquake. So far no such earthquakes have been detected.
The risk of aftershocks decreases rapidly over time. Usually, aftershocks are at least one order of magnitude lower than a main shock.
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 24th, 2026, when a 5.3 magnitude earthquake hit 299 km (186 mi) further north. An even stronger magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck on May 6th, 2019.
In total, 31 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 4 months.
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 5.2. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 124 km (77 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 10/11/26 21:28 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000txc0
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20261110_0000258
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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