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M4.9 Depth: 50.0 km

M4.9 Earthquake near New Britain Region, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2025-12-22 18:03:23 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

A magnitude M4.9 earthquake was recorded near New Britain Region, Papua New Guinea (Papua New Guinea) on December 22, 2025 at 18:03 UTC. The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 50 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The data is provided by GFZ 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
M4.9
Depth
50.0 km
UTC time
2025-12-22 18:03:23 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Papua New Guinea
City
West New Britain
Source
gfz
Coordinates
-6.21000, 148.99000
Temperature
25.9°C

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 50 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 50 km
Shallow
50 km
50 km — shallower than the regional average (85 km)
Regional average: 85 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

  • Langila
    Distance: 99 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'330 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Ritter Island
    Distance: 124 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 75 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Sakar
    Distance: 134 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 947 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Umboi
    Distance: 140 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 1'335 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Krummel-Garbuna-Welcker
    Distance: 145 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 564 m ·Last eruption: 2008 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Garua Harbour
    Distance: 157 km ·Volcanic field ·Elevation: 565 m ·Papua New Guinea

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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