M4.5 earthquake — 97 km SSE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea
An magnitude 4.5 earthquake occurred 97 km SSE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea on Jul 21, 2026 at 19:35 UTC. The epicenter was at a depth of 28 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 | 27.9 km |
| Coordinates | -7.164, 155.716 |
| Time | Jul 21, 19:35 UTC |
| Location | 97 km SSE of Panguna, Papua New Guinea |
| USGS event ID | us6000tg4g |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4.8 | 55 km | Aug 3, 13:14 UTC | 106 km NW of Gizo, Solomon Islands |
Earthquake activity in this area
Source: USGS earthquake catalog. Automated readings may be revised. Not for emergency use.