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M5.0 Depth: 132.0 km

M5.0 Earthquake near NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2025-08-21 14:06:59 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.0 earthquake was recorded near NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea) on August 21, 2025 at 14:06 UTC. At around 132 km, the focal depth places this among intermediate-depth events. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The data is provided by EMSC 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
M5.0
Depth
132.0 km
UTC time
2025-08-21 14:06:59 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
City
East New Britain
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-5.03370, 151.39060
Temperature
28.5°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 132 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 132 km
Intermediate
132 km
132 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
Kokopo124.0 kmNE26'273
Port Moresby680.2 kmSW283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Ulawun
    Distance: 7 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'334 m ·Last eruption: 2025 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bamus
    Distance: 26 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'248 m ·Last eruption: 1886 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolobau
    Distance: 29 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 878 m ·Last eruption: 1912 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hargy
    Distance: 46 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'148 m ·Last eruption: 950 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sulu Range
    Distance: 72 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 610 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Lolo
    Distance: 109 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 796 m ·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 eventM5.2
M5.02025-08-21 14:07:00 UTC3.5 km124 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea M4.82025-08-24 18:19:22 UTC124.3 km36 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea M5.02025-08-27 01:31:08 UTC85.4 kmNew Britain Region, Papua New Guinea M5.02025-08-27 01:31:08 UTC75.5 kmNEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G. M5.22025-08-28 04:31:38 UTC149.3 kmNew Britain Region, Papua New Guinea M5.12025-08-28 04:31:38 UTC141.5 kmNEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#33
Earlier events M≥4162
Earlier events M≥549
Compared since2025-01-01

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.92025-04-04 20:04:38 UTC144.4 km181 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea M6.52025-04-04 20:04:39 UTC136.6 km194 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea M5.82025-06-23 03:17:13 UTC133.0 kmNew Britain Region, Papua New Guinea M5.72025-01-24 18:26:51 UTC140.6 km150 km S of Kavieng, Papua New Guinea M5.52025-04-12 03:47:24 UTC145.6 kmNew Ireland

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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