USGS · September 20, 2026
Magnitude 6.4 earthquake near Kainantu, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake was recorded near 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea on Sep 20, 2026, 07:17 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10), at a depth of about 104.3 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 23 people · community intensity VI (strong)Shaking VPAGER GreenIntermediate (70–300 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-20 11:17 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 6.4 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea
- Local time at the epicentre
- Sep 20, 2026, 07:17 PM — UTC+10
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-09-20 09:17 UTC
- Depth
- 104.3 km · Intermediate (70–300 km)
- Coordinates
- -5.902, 146.092
- Felt reports
- Felt by 23 people · community intensity VI (strong)
- Estimated shaking
- V · Moderate
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 643 / 1000 · major event
- Solution quality
- 91 seismic stations used · 22° 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.
Estimated instrumental shaking V (Moderate): Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
People who reported it described intensity 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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Kainantu | 49.8 km SSW | 8,509 |
| Goroka | 80.6 km WSW | 18,503 |
| Madang | 82.9 km NNW | 27,419 |
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
2 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea earthquake?
Magnitude 6.4 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 104.3 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?
Sep 20, 2026, 07:17 PM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+10). In universal time: 2026-09-20 09:17 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 23 people · community intensity VI (strong). Felt by nearly everyone; unstable objects overturn and some plaster cracks.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Kainantu, 49.8 km SSW (population 8,509).
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 2 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.