USGS · August 12, 2026
Magnitude 5.0 earthquake — 79 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 5.0 earthquake was recorded near 79 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on Aug 12, 2026, 06:31 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10), at a depth of about 71.1 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)Intermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:17 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.0 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 79 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 12, 2026, 06:31 AM — UTC+10
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-11 20:31 UTC
- Depth
- 71.1 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -4.639, 152.924
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 385 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 145 seismic stations used · 35° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 34,347 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Kokopo | 79.8 km WNW | 26,273 |
| Rabaul | 97.5 km WNW | 8,074 |
Earthquake history in this area
No earthquake of magnitude 4.5+ has been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
No other earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 79 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 79 km ESE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea earthquake?
Magnitude 5.0 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 71.1 km. At this depth the energy spreads out before it reaches the surface, so shaking is usually weaker but felt over a wider area.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 12, 2026, 06:31 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10). In universal time: 2026-08-11 20:31 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak). Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Kokopo, 79.8 km WNW (population 26,273).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
0 further events were recorded within 100 km of the epicentre in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.