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M5.2 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.2 Earthquake near New Ireland (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-03-12 21:58:46 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On March 12, 2026 at 21:58 UTC, a magnitude M5.2 earthquake occurred near New Ireland (Papua New Guinea). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 10 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by EMSC.

Details

Magnitude
M5.2
Depth
10.0 km
UTC time
2026-03-12 21:58:46 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
State
New Ireland
City
New Ireland
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-3.53140, 149.77270
Temperature
28.3°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 (85 km)
Regional average: 85 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
Kimbe228.2 kmS18'847
Port Moresby721.8 kmSW283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Dakataua
    Distance: 172 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 408 m ·Last eruption: 1895 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bola
    Distance: 181 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'116 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Garua Harbour
    Distance: 199 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 565 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Krummel-Garbuna-Welcker
    Distance: 211 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 564 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolobau
    Distance: 218 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 878 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Titan Ridge
    Distance: 228 km ·Fissure vent ·Elevation: -1'300 m ·Last eruption: 1972 ·Papua New Guinea

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#2
Earlier events M≥410
Earlier events M≥57
Compared since2025-01-15

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

Strongest earlier events

M5.72025-01-24 18:26:51 UTC118.3 km150 km S of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea M5.22025-10-10 05:46:40 UTC94.7 kmBismarck Sea M5.12025-10-11 08:35:22 UTC132.9 kmBismarck Sea M5.12025-10-10 05:46:40 UTC101.3 km219 km WSW of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea M5.12025-10-10 05:46:40 UTC98.3 kmBISMARCK SEA

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.

Stats (last 24h)

Global (24h)
664
Country (24h)
Papua New Guinea
0
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