Latest earthquakes near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea today
Complete overview of the latest earthquakes near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea, updated every minute. Did you feel an earthquake today in West New Britain? If an earthquake is happening right now near West New Britain, it will show up within minutes.
Recent West New Britain Earthquake News
These are the latest articles published related to earthquakes occurring near West New Britain. Check our Earthquake News section for a complete overview of articles written on earthquakes near West New Britain and elsewhere.
Jan 5, 2026 10:42AM
Significant M5.2 Earthquake hit in the Bismarck Sea 136km from Lae (Papua New Guinea) on Monday Morning.
Jan 4, 2026 11:23AM
Significant M5.1 Earthquake struck on Sunday Morning in the Solomon Sea 127km from Kokopo (Papua New Guinea).
Dec 29, 2025 09:40PM
Shallow M5.1 Earthquake struck on Monday Evening in the Solomon Sea 116km from Kokopo (Papua New Guinea).
Dec 27, 2025 09:02AM
Significant M5.1 Earthquake hit in the South Pacific Ocean 106km from Kokopo (Papua New Guinea) on Saturday Morning.
Dec 23, 2025 07:54PM
Significant M5.2 Earthquake struck on Tuesday Evening in the Bismarck Sea 136km from Lae (Papua New Guinea).
Dec 22, 2025 09:07AM
Significant M5.3 Earthquake hit 145km from Kokopo in Papua New Guinea on Monday Morning.
West New Britain Earthquake Statistics
Average
A total of 2760 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or above have struck within 300 km (186 mi) of West New Britain, Papua New Guinea in the past 10 years. This comes down to a yearly average of 276 earthquakes per year, or 23 per month. On average an earthquake will hit near West New Britain roughly every 1 days.
A relatively large number of earthquakes occurred near West New Britain in 2025. A total of 520 earthquakes (mag 4+) were detected within 300 km of West New Britain that year. The strongest had a 6.9 magnitude.
Magnitude Distribution
The table below visualizes the distribution of all earthquakes that occurred within 300km of West New Britain in the past 10 years. No earthquakes with a magnitude of 7 or above have occurred near West New Britain during this time. Usually, higher magnitudes are less common than lower magnitudes. Small earthquakes with a magnitude below 4 on the Richter scale have been omitted from this overview.
| Magnitude | Earthquakes | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| Mag. 4 | 2375 | 86.05% |
| Mag. 5 | 352 | 12.75% |
| Mag. 6 | 32 | 1.16% |
| Mag. 7 | 1 | 0.04% |
| Mag. 8 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 9 | 0 | 0.0% |
| Mag. 10 | 0 | 0.0% |
Strongest earthquakes near West New Britain
The strongest recent earthquake of the past 10 years near West New Britain occurred on Oct 11, 2018 06:48 local time (Pacific/Port_Moresby timezone). It had a magnitude of 7 and struck 119 kilometers (74 mi) east of Kimbe, at a depth of 39 km. Discover more strong earthquakes near West New Britain in the list below.
A longer time ago, a MAG-8 earthquake struck on Jan 1, 1916 23:20, 289 kilometers (180 mi) east of Kimbe. It is the strongest earthquake near West New Britain in the past 126 years (Our data goes back to January 1st, 1900).
In the table below you will find the strongest earthquakes that occurred near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea in the past 10 years. You can use the tabs to find the heaviest historic earthquakes since the year 1900 or within a specific year or distance from West New Britain.
Earthquakes by city in West New Britain
Click the links below for earthquake reports for major places in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions are commonly asked in relation to earthquakes occurring near West New Britain.
When was the last earthquake in West New Britain, Papua New Guinea?
A 5.2 magnitude earthquake hit near West New Britain on the morning of January 5, 2026 at 10:42 local time (Pacific/Port_Moresby). The center of this earthquake was located 277km west of Kimbe at a depth of 175km under water in the Bismarck Sea. Check the list on our website for any earthquakes occurring near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea in the past hours.
What was the strongest earthquake near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea?
A 8 magnitude earthquake hit near West New Britain on the evening of January 1, 1916 at 23:20 local time (Pacific/Port_Moresby). The center of this earthquake was located 289km east-northeast of Kimbe at a depth of 35km under water in the Solomon Sea. This is the strongest earthquake that occurred near West New Britain since the year 1900.
How often do earthquakes occur near West New Britain, Papua New Guinea?
In the past 10 years, 2760 earthquakes with a magnitude of four or higher occurred within a 300 kilometer range from West New Britain. This averages to 276 earthquakes yearly, or one earthquake every 1 days.
