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M4.6 Depth: 53.0 km

M4.6 Earthquake near Kabwum District, Morobe (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-02-21 05:03:45 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On February 21, 2026 at 05:03 UTC, a magnitude M4.6 earthquake occurred near Kabwum District, Morobe (Papua New Guinea). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 53 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by GFZ. Papua New Guinea: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 2 earthquakes, the strongest at M5.0.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 53 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 53 km
Shallow
53 km
53 km — shallower than the regional average (83.7 km)
Regional average: 83.7 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

Volcanoes nearby

  • Long Island
    Distance: 95 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'263 m ·Last eruption: 1993 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Hankow Reef
    Distance: 129 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: -5 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Umboi
    Distance: 146 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'335 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Karkar
    Distance: 172 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'839 m ·Last eruption: 1979 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Ritter Island
    Distance: 172 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 75 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sakar
    Distance: 173 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 947 m ·Papua New Guinea

Historic earthquake map · Papua New Guinea

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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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