M5.1 Depth: 41.6 km

M5.1 Earthquake near Buin District, Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Papua New Guinea)

UTC time: 2026-06-24 06:17:20 UTC Local time:

About this earthquake

On June 24, 2026 at 06:17 UTC, a magnitude M5.1 earthquake occurred near Buin District, Autonomous Region of Bougainville (Papua New Guinea). With a focal depth of about 42 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Papua New Guinea: 2 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M5.1.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 41.6 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 41.6 km
Shallow
41.6 km
41.6 km — shallower than the regional average (84.8 km)
Regional average: 84.8 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

Tectonic context

Located on the Pacific Plate.
Near the boundary Pacific ↔ North Bismarck · about 50 km away

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Arawa64.6 kmNE40'266
Port Moresby932.4 kmW283'733

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Bagana
    Distance: 50 km ·Lava cone ·Elevation: 1'855 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Billy Mitchell
    Distance: 56 km ·Caldera ·Elevation: 1'544 m ·Last eruption: 1580 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Loloru
    Distance: 58 km ·Compound ·Elevation: 1'887 m ·Last eruption: -1050 ·Papua New Guinea
  • Takuan Group
    Distance: 58 km ·Compound ·Elevation: 2'210 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Balbi
    Distance: 74 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'715 m ·Papua New Guinea
  • Simbo
    Distance: 247 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 335 m ·Last eruption: 1910 ·Solomon Islands

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 eventM5.1

Comparison of seismic sources

2 sources currently report magnitudes from M5.1 to M5.1.

Measurements can differ because agencies use different networks and calculation methods. Values may be revised.

SourceMagnitudeDepthPosition difference
EMSCM5.141.6 km0.0 km
GFZM5.142.0 km0.6 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#16
Earlier events M≥481
Earlier events M≥532
Compared since2025-01-03

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

Strongest earlier events

Historic earthquake map · Papua New Guinea

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

View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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