
Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea
In Papua New Guinea, there are very strong earthquakes with far-reaching consequences. Earthquakes with a magnitude of over 8.0 destroy numerous houses within a radius of several hundred kilometers and are causing great damage and devastation. Compared to the size of the country, earthquakes occur with above-average frequency, but rarely with devastating damage.Since 1950, more than 3,300 people died by the direct consequences of earthquakes. There were 29 earthquakes that also caused a subsequent tsunami, which claimed further lives, and cause additional damage.
Other natural hazards in Papua New Guinea:
› Volcanoes
› Tsunamis
› Cyclones
› The most severe earthquakes in the world
Back to overview: Papua New Guinea
Most recent events
This list includes the strongest earthquakes recorded in or around Papua New Guinea by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in the past 14 days. Whether an event is listed here depends largely on its magnitude, but also on its distance from inhabited areas. All data refer to the local time. This page is updated daily at 10:00 UTC.
- June 2, 8:26 pmMagnitude 4.8: 176 km south of Kokopo at a depth of ten km.
- June 2, 1:27 amMagnitude 4.6: 169 km south of Kokopo at a depth of ten km.
- June 1, 9:01 pmMagnitude 4.8: 161 km south of Kokopo at a depth of 39.38 km.
- June 1, 8:00 pmMagnitude 4.9: 159 km south of Kokopo at a depth of 38.72 km.
- June 1, 6:49 pmMagnitude 4.9: New Britain at a depth of ten km.
- June 1, 6:40 pmMagnitude 4.6: 160 km south of Kokopo at a depth of ten km.
- June 1, 1:51 pmMagnitude 4.9: 160 km south-southwest of Kokopo at a depth of ten km.
- June 1, 10:05 amMagnitude 5.3: 166 km south-southwest of Kokopo at a depth of 35 km.
- May 28, 10:52 pmMagnitude 5.1: 42 km west of Kimbe at a depth of 137.71 km.
- May 26, 12:08 pmMagnitude 5.2: New Britain at a depth of 41.31 km.
Earthquakes in Papua New Guinea since 1950

Date | Region | Depth | Magnitude | Deaths | Total damage |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
04/02/2023 | East Sepik | 70 km | 7.0 | 8 | |
09/10/2022 | Morobe, Eastern Highlands | 90 km | 7.6 | 21 | |
07/17/2020 | Morobe, Oro | 80 km | 7.0 | 1 | |
05/14/2019 | Rabaul, Duke Of York Island | 10 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
05/06/2019 | Morobe (Wampar) | 127 km | 7.2 | 0 | |
04/07/2018 | Hela | 18 km | 6.3 | 4 | |
03/06/2018 | South Highlands, Hela | 20 km | 6.7 | 25 | |
03/04/2018 | South Highlands | 10 km | 6.0 | 11 | |
02/28/2018 | South Highlands | 16 km | 6.1 | 1 | |
02/25/2018 | South Highlands, Hela; Indonesia | 25 km | 7.5 | 145 | |
01/22/2017 | Bougainville Island | 36 km | 7.9 | 3 | |
12/17/2016 | New Britain New Ireland | 5 km | 7.9 | 0 | |
05/05/2015 | Papua New Guinea | 38 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
03/29/2015 | Papua New Guinea | 1 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
04/19/2014 | Solomon Sea | 21 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
04/11/2014 | Bougainville Island | 13 km | 7.1 | 1 | |
09/09/2005 | New Ireland | 43 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
09/08/2002 | Kairiru Is, Muschu Is, Wewak | 25 km | 7.6 | 4 | |
01/10/2002 | Aitape | 56 km | 6.7 | 1 | |
11/17/2000 | New Britain | 56 km | 7.8 | 0 | |
11/16/2000 | New Ireland, New Britain | 16 km | 7.8 | 0 | |
11/16/2000 | New Ireland, Duke Of York | 55 km | 8.0 | 2 | |
07/17/1998 | Sissano | 16 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
08/16/1995 | Rabaul, Kokopo, New Britain | 28 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
10/13/1993 | Eastern (Upper Markham Valley) | 6.9 | 60 | ||
12/30/1990 | New Britain | 18 km | 7.5 | 0 | |
03/10/1989 | New Britain (Rabaul) | 10 km | 5.4 | 1 | |
09/06/1988 | Kaiapit (Landslide Generated) | 33 km | 4.3 | 74 | |
07/05/1988 | New Britain (Kandrian, Arawe) | 7 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
10/16/1987 | New Britain (Kandrian, Kimbte) | 1 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
10/12/1987 | Solomon Sea | 4 km | 6.8 | 0 | |
02/08/1987 | Huon Peninsula, Umboi Island | 58 km | 7.6 | 3 | |
06/24/1986 | Papua New Guinea | 30 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
07/03/1985 | New Britain (Rabaul) | 51 km | 7.2 | 0 | |
05/10/1985 | New Britain (Bialla, Piona) | 50 km | 7.1 | 1 | |
03/27/1984 | Karkar | 33 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
12/22/1983 | Ulawun, Rabaul | 2 km | 6.4 | 10 | |
03/18/1983 | New Ireland | 50 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
06/25/1979 | E, Mt Hagen | 5 km | 6.2 | 0 | |
08/28/1977 | Admiralty Islands | 5 km | 5.5 | 0 | |
07/20/1975 | Solomon Islands (Buin, Boku) | 27 km | 7.7 | 0 | |
07/20/1975 | Bismarck Sea (Bougainville) | 39 km | 7.9 | 0 | |
08/17/1972 | W. Solomon Sea | 5 km | 7.1 | 0 | |
09/25/1971 | Bismarck Sea | 14 km | 7.0 | 0 | |
07/26/1971 | Bismarck Sea Rabaul | 21 km | 7.9 | 0 | |
07/14/1971 | New Ireland (Bougainville) | 29 km | 7.9 | 2 | |
10/31/1970 | Madang | 7 km | 7.3 | 15 | |
08/02/1969 | Bismarck Sea | 29 km | 5.4 | 0 | |
10/23/1968 | North Coast, Wewak, Dagua | 7.5 | 0 | ||
02/12/1968 | New Ireland | 7.8 | 0 | ||
08/13/1967 | Bismarck Sea | 10 km | 6.4 | 0 | |
11/17/1964 | New Britain | 39 km | 7.6 | 0 | |
06/11/1960 | W. Solomon Sea | 9 km | 6.6 | 0 | |
10/10/1955 | Bismarck Sea | 47 km | 7.3 | 0 | |
04/23/1953 | Solomon Islands | 34 km | 7.4 | 0 | |
02/18/1951 | Papua New Guinea | 0.0 | 3000 |
These statistics are based on datas from the National Geophysical Data Center / World Data Service (NGDC/WDS): Significant Earthquake Database. doi:10.7289/V5TD9V7K. Data have been summarized and translated.