Back to map
M4.8 Depth: 10.0 km

M4.8 Earthquake near New Britain Region, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-01-04 01:23:33 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On January 4, 2026 at 01:23 UTC, a magnitude M4.8 earthquake occurred near New Britain Region, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea). 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 are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by GFZ. Papua New Guinea: 3 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.0.

Details

Magnitude
M4.8
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-01-04 01:23:33 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
City
East New Britain
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-5.23000, 151.98000
Temperature
31.9°C

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 (84.9 km)
Regional average: 84.9 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

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ulawun
    Distance: 75 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'334 m ·Last eruption: 2025 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bamus
    Distance: 83 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'248 m ·Last eruption: 1886 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolobau
    Distance: 97 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 878 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hargy
    Distance: 98 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'148 m ·Last eruption: 950 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Rabaul
    Distance: 112 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 688 m ·Last eruption: 2014 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sulu Range
    Distance: 119 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 610 m ·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.

Share