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M5.9 Depth: 90.0 km

M5.9 Earthquake near Madang District, Madang (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-01-20 07:21:59 UTC Local time: —
M5.9 earthquake near Madang District on Jan 20, 2026 — map of epicenter and shaking intensity | QuakeMap24
M5.9 Earthquake near Madang District, Madang (Papua New Guinea) · 2026-01-20 07:21:59 UTC

About this earthquake

A magnitude M5.9 earthquake was recorded near Madang District, Madang (Papua New Guinea) on January 20, 2026 at 07:21 UTC. The earthquake originated at an intermediate depth of about 90 km. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by USGS.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 90 km (Intermediate) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 90 km
Intermediate
90 km
90 km — close to the regional average (80.3 km)
Regional average: 80.3 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
Madang24.0 kmW27'419
Port Moresby483.7 kmS283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Karkar
    Distance: 70 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'839 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hankow Reef
    Distance: 91 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -5 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Long Island
    Distance: 123 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'263 m ·Last eruption: 1993 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Manam
    Distance: 171 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'807 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Umboi
    Distance: 213 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'335 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Bam
    Distance: 227 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 685 m ·Last eruption: 1960 ·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 eventM6.2
M6.22026-01-20 07:22:01 UTC9.0 kmMadang District M4.62026-02-03 21:24:30 UTC99.8 kmGangulut M4.82026-02-03 21:24:31 UTC111.7 kmGorgiok M4.62026-02-05 07:21:24 UTC111.7 kmMatafun M4.92026-02-13 19:08:17 UTC143.6 kmMiddle Ramu District M4.92026-02-13 19:08:17 UTC138.7 kmItutang M4.92026-02-16 07:36:34 UTC138.8 kmTawae-Siassi District

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#7
Earlier events M≥474
Earlier events M≥524
Compared since2025-01-06

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

Strongest earlier events

M6.52025-12-22 10:31:28 UTC73.8 km42 km NNE of Goroka, Papua New Guinea M6.42025-12-22 10:31:28 UTC77.1 kmPapua New Guinea [Land] M6.42025-12-22 10:31:27 UTC77.3 kmPapua New Guinea Region M6.42025-12-22 10:31:27 UTC80.3 kmEASTERN NEW GUINEA REG., P.N.G. M6.12025-12-22 10:31:18 UTC69.8 kmEvent of magnitude 6.1, near of Lae (Monde)

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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