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M4.8 Depth: 86.0 km

M4.8 Earthquake near Solomon Islands (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2025-12-16 15:49:30 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On December 16, 2025 at 15:49 UTC, a magnitude M4.8 earthquake occurred near Solomon Islands (Papua New Guinea). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 86 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The data is provided by GFZ and cross-checked across seismological networks. Papua New Guinea: 2 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.1.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 86 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 86 km
Intermediate
86 km
86 km — close to the regional average (84.8 km)
Regional average: 84.8 km
Why depth matters

Intermediate-depth quakes are felt across a wider area but usually cause less surface damage.

Depth classes per USGS

Volcanoes nearby

  • Loloru
    Distance: 56 km ·Compound ·Elevation: 1'887 m ·Last eruption: -1050 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Takuan Group
    Distance: 64 km ·Compound ·Elevation: 2'210 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bagana
    Distance: 101 km ·Lava cone ·Elevation: 1'855 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Billy Mitchell
    Distance: 105 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 1'544 m ·Last eruption: 1580 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Balbi
    Distance: 131 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'715 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Simbo
    Distance: 184 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 335 m ·Last eruption: 1910 ·Solomon Islands

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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