USGS · October 14, 2026
Magnitude 6.0 earthquake 126 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake was recorded near 126 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on Oct 14, 2026, 04:45 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10), at a depth of about 20.8 km, according to USGS.
USGSShaking VIPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-10-13 20:38 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 6.0 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 126 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
- Local time at the epicentre
- Oct 14, 2026, 04:45 AM — UTC+10
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-10-13 18:45 UTC
- Depth
- 20.8 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -5.483, 152.136
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Estimated shaking
- VI · Strong
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 554 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 83 seismic stations used · 34° 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
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking VI (Strong): Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
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
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants are listed within 100 km of the epicentre.
Earthquake history in this area
12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
8 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 5.3 122 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 4.7 121 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 4.6 121 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 5.1 121 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 5.1 33 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 5.2 139 km SW of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
M 5.1 190 km ESE of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 126 km S of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea earthquake?
Magnitude 6.0 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 20.8 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Oct 14, 2026, 04:45 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10). In universal time: 2026-10-13 18:45 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
No populated places over 1,000 inhabitants lie within 100 km of the epicentre.
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 8.1 (1971 Bougainville Earthquake, 1971), and 8 further events were recorded within 100 km 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), in Venezuela FUNVISIS and in Brazil the RSBR through the Centro de Sismologia da USP. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.