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M4.5 Depth: 570.0 km

M4.5 Earthquake near West New Britain (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-01-27 08:31:33 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On January 27, 2026 at 08:31 UTC, a magnitude M4.5 earthquake occurred near West New Britain (Papua New Guinea). The deep hypocenter at about 570 km dampens the shaking felt at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 570 km (Deep) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 570 km
Deep
570 km
570 km — deeper than the regional average (81.9 km)
Regional average: 81.9 km
Why depth matters

Deep quakes are felt over very large areas but rarely cause surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Dakataua
    Distance: 80 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 408 m ·Last eruption: 1895 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bola
    Distance: 83 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'116 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Garua Harbour
    Distance: 100 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 565 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Krummel-Garbuna-Welcker
    Distance: 109 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 564 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolo
    Distance: 145 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 796 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Witori
    Distance: 154 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 724 m ·Last eruption: 2012 ·Papua New Guinea

Historic earthquake map · Papua New Guinea

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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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