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M5.2 Depth: 181.3 km

M5.2 Earthquake near 135 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2025-07-18 14:33:07 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On July 18, 2025 at 14:33 UTC, a magnitude M5.2 earthquake occurred near 135 km N of Lae, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 181 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks. Papua New Guinea: 4 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.0.

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
181.3 km
UTC time
2025-07-18 14:33:07 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
City
Madang
Source
usgs
Coordinates
-5.49970, 147.05900
Temperature
29.7°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 181.3 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 181.3 km
Intermediate
181.3 km
181.3 km — deeper than the regional average (85 km)
Regional average: 85 km
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

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

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Lae136.2 kmS76'255
Port Moresby442.4 kmS283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Long Island
    Distance: 21 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'263 m ·Last eruption: 1993 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hankow Reef
    Distance: 78 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -5 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Umboi
    Distance: 93 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'335 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sakar
    Distance: 114 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 947 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Ritter Island
    Distance: 117 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 75 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Langila
    Distance: 151 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'330 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·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 eventM5.9
M5.22025-07-18 14:33:08 UTC6.0 kmEASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G. M5.22025-07-21 16:40:55 UTC26.2 kmSaidor District M5.82025-07-21 16:41:08 UTC68.1 km91 km ENE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea M5.92025-07-21 16:41:11 UTC64.5 kmPapua New Guinea Region M5.82025-07-21 16:41:11 UTC64.6 kmEASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G. M4.62025-07-31 08:18:36 UTC111.2 km37 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea M4.72025-07-31 08:18:37 UTC135.7 kmPapua New Guinea Region M4.62025-07-31 08:18:37 UTC135.7 kmEASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G. M4.82025-08-06 06:37:53 UTC61.1 kmPapua New Guinea Region

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#5
Earlier events M≥453
Earlier events M≥511
Compared since2025-01-12

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72025-06-19 16:37:40 UTC106.8 kmPapua New Guinea Region M5.52025-06-19 16:37:42 UTC119.0 kmEASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G. M5.52025-04-13 03:48:23 UTC142.0 km46 km E of Lae, Papua New Guinea M5.42025-06-07 02:51:40 UTC40.0 kmPapua New Guinea Region M5.12025-06-13 03:30:42 UTC100.1 kmPapua New Guinea Region

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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