USGS · September 17, 2026
Magnitude 4.6 earthquake — 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 4.6 earthquake was recorded near 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea on Sep 17, 2026, 05:37 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10), at a depth of about 59.9 km, according to USGS.
USGSShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-16 21:46 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 4.6 · body-wave magnitude
- Location
- 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 17, 2026, 05:37 AM — UTC+10
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-16 19:37 UTC
- Depth
- 59.9 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -5.540, 146.017
- Felt reports
- No “Did You Feel It?” reports submitted
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 326 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 54 seismic stations used · 103° 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.
No intensity estimate was published for this event, which is usual for small earthquakes far from populated areas.
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 54,431 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Madang | 43.6 km NW | 27,419 |
| Kainantu | 84.9 km SSW | 8,509 |
| Goroka | 92.4 km SW | 18,503 |
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
No other earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea earthquake?
Magnitude 4.6 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 59.9 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?
Sep 17, 2026, 05:37 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10). In universal time: 2026-09-16 19:37 UTC.
Was it felt?
No “Did You Feel It?” reports were submitted for this event. Small earthquakes usually pass unnoticed except very close to the epicentre.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Madang, 43.6 km NW (population 27,419).
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.6 (70 km E of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea, 2022), and 0 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) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.