M6.4 earthquake — 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea
A strong magnitude 6.4 earthquake occurred 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea on Sep 20, 2026 at 09:17 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 104 km — an intermediate-depth earthquake. Intermediate quakes spread their energy over a wider area and are often felt across a broad region.
Event data
| Magnitude | M6.4 |
|---|---|
| Depth | 104.3 km |
| Coordinates | -5.902, 146.092 |
| Time | Sep 20, 09:17 UTC |
| Location | 49 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea |
| USGS event ID | us7000tiqc |
What this magnitude typically means
A magnitude in this range can cause significant damage near the epicenter, especially to vulnerable buildings. How strongly any given place shakes still depends on distance, depth, and ground conditions. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.6 | 41 km | Sep 16, 19:37 UTC | 43 km SE of Madang, Papua New Guinea |
| M5.0 | 66 km | Sep 14, 22:06 UTC | 69 km NW of Lae, Papua New Guinea |
| M4.5 | 189 km | Sep 14, 06:19 UTC | 97 km NNE of Mount Hagen, Papua New Guinea |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.