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M5.6 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near Baibu, Southern Highlands (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-01-26 17:06:22 UTC Local time: —
M5.6 earthquake near Baibu on Jan 26, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.6 Earthquake near Baibu, Southern Highlands (Papua New Guinea) · 2026-01-26 17:06:22 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.6 earthquake was recorded near Baibu, Southern Highlands (Papua New Guinea) on January 26, 2026 at 17:06 UTC. With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by GFZ.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (80.3 km)
Regional average: 80.3 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
Mendi39.3 kmNE26'252
Merauke409.9 kmSW116'864

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Manam
    Distance: 315 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'807 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Kadovar
    Distance: 340 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 365 m ·Last eruption: 2023 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Karkar
    Distance: 340 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'839 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bam
    Distance: 349 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 685 m ·Last eruption: 1960 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Blup Blup
    Distance: 351 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 402 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hankow Reef
    Distance: 396 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -5 m ·Papua New Guinea

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#1
Earlier events M≥411
Earlier events M≥53
Compared since2025-01-26

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.12025-07-15 21:16:55 UTC147.5 kmNew Guinea, Papua New Guinea M5.02026-01-03 01:26:40 UTC10.2 km33 km SSW of Mendi, Papua New Guinea M5.02026-01-03 01:26:40 UTC21.0 kmNew Guinea, Papua New Guinea M4.92025-07-17 11:25:54 UTC129.3 kmNew Guinea, Papua New Guinea M4.92025-07-17 11:25:53 UTC114.1 kmNEW GUINEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA

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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