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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. Papua New Guinea: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 2 earthquakes, the strongest at M5.0.

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 (83.7 km)
Regional average: 83.7 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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