M4.5 earthquake — 130 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
An magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred 130 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea on Jul 16, 2026 at 05:42 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 22 km — a shallow earthquake. Shallow quakes concentrate their energy near the surface, so they tend to produce stronger shaking close to the epicenter.
Event data
| Magnitude | M4.5 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 22.3 km |
| Coordinates | -5.355, 152.870 |
| Time | Jul 16, 05:42 UTC |
| Location | 130 km SSE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| USGS event ID | us7000t288 |
What this magnitude typically means
Light earthquakes are felt by most people nearby but rarely cause damage. Distance, depth, and soil type determine whether a quake feels sharp or barely noticeable. Tremor does not compute a single local shaking figure here, because how strong a quake feels at any address depends on distance, depth and local geology — open the interactive globe to explore the ShakeMap and estimated intensity.
Nearby recent earthquakes
| Magnitude | Distance | Time (UTC) | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| M5.4 | 87 km | Jul 28, 20:27 UTC | 211 km SE of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| M4.8 | 107 km | Jul 28, 23:51 UTC | 76 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| M4.6 | 110 km | Jul 27, 11:59 UTC | 120 km E of Kokopo, Papua New Guinea |
| M5.1 | 156 km | Jul 27, 14:33 UTC | 147 km E of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.