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M5.0 Depth: 42.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2025-10-21 03:47:27 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea) on October 21, 2025 at 03:47 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 42 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Papua New Guinea: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 4 earthquakes, the strongest at M5.0.

Details

Magnitude
M5.0
Depth
42.0 km
UTC time
2025-10-21 03:47:27 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
City
East New Britain
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-5.38630, 152.39700
Temperature
28.3°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 42 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 42 km
Shallow
42 km
42 km — shallower than the regional average (85 km)
Regional average: 85 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Kokopo116.9 kmN26'273
Port Moresby735.8 kmSW283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ulawun
    Distance: 124 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'334 m ·Last eruption: 2025 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Rabaul
    Distance: 129 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 688 m ·Last eruption: 2014 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bamus
    Distance: 131 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'248 m ·Last eruption: 1886 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Tavui
    Distance: 143 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 200 m ·Last eruption: -4946 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hargy
    Distance: 144 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'148 m ·Last eruption: 950 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolobau
    Distance: 146 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 878 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Papua New Guinea

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours1
First 24 hours1
First 72 hours1
Strongest subsequent eventM5.3
M5.02025-10-21 03:47:30 UTC33.2 kmNew Britain Region, Papua New Guinea M5.32025-10-27 14:29:33 UTC120.0 km203 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea M5.12025-10-27 14:29:33 UTC109.6 kmNew Britain Region, Papua New Guinea M5.32025-10-27 14:29:33 UTC108.6 kmNEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. M5.02025-10-27 14:29:35 UTC110.2 kmEvent of magnitude 5.0, near of Port Moresby (Monde)

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#38
Earlier events M≥4185
Earlier events M≥556
Compared since2025-01-01

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.92025-04-04 20:04:38 UTC136.5 km181 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea M6.52025-04-04 20:04:39 UTC114.9 km194 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea M6.22025-04-12 03:47:13 UTC119.2 km M6.12025-04-12 03:47:09 UTC114.1 km105 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea M6.02025-09-16 16:59:46 UTC134.3 kmEvent of magnitude 6.0, near of Port Moresby (Monde)

Historic earthquake map · Papua New Guinea

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Papua New Guinea

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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