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Papua New Guinea · Eastern Highlands

M4.8 Earthquake near Kainantu District, Eastern Highlands (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-10-18 00:28:29 UTC Local time: —
Magnitude
M4.8
Depth
124.1 km
Source
USGS

Eastern Highlands · Kainantu District

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About this earthquake

On October 18, 2026 at 00:28 UTC, a magnitude M4.8 earthquake occurred near Kainantu District, Eastern Highlands (Papua New Guinea). The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 124 km. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The data is provided by USGS and cross-checked across seismological networks.

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 124.1 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 124.1 km
Intermediate
124.1 km
124.1 km — deeper than the regional average (80.5 km)
Regional average: 80.5 km
Why depth matters

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

Depth classes per USGS

Tectonic context

Located on the Woodlark Plate.
Near the boundary South Bismarck ↔ Woodlark · about 31 km away

Volcanoes nearby

  • Long Island
    Distance: 177 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'263 m ·Last eruption: 1993 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hankow Reef
    Distance: 195 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -5 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Karkar
    Distance: 207 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'839 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Umboi
    Distance: 228 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'335 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Ritter Island
    Distance: 254 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 75 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sakar
    Distance: 256 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 947 m ·Papua New Guinea

Papua New Guinea

Context for this earthquake

05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 307 Catalogue entries

Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · Papua New Guinea

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Country statistics · Papua New Guinea

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