Earthquake · Papua New Guinea
M6.4 earthquake near Kainantu, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck 50 km NNE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea on 20 September 2026 at 09:17 UTC, at a depth of 113 km.
- Magnitude
- 6.4 mww
- When
- 20 September 2026, 09:17 UTC
- Depth
- 113 km
- Location
- 5.90° S, 146.11° E
- Strongest shaking (estimated)
- Intensity V (moderate)
- Felt reports
- 30 people told USGS they felt it
- USGS PAGER alert
- Green
- Source
- USGS event page
What it means
A magnitude 6.4 is a strong earthquake; there are about 130 a year worldwide, and they can cause damage in populated areas near the epicentre. At 113 km deep it was an intermediate-depth earthquake: felt over a wide area, but less strongly than a shallow one of the same size.
The magnitude may be revised as more data comes in. Read Earthquake magnitude explained for what the numbers mean.
Aftershocks
8 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or more within 150 km in the 30 days after; the largest was a magnitude 5.4.
| Mag | Where | When (UTC) |
|---|---|---|
| 5.4 | 60 km NE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea | 20 September 2026, 12:45 |
| 5.3 | 69 km NW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea | 24 September 2026, 23:30 |
| 4.9 | 25 km NE of Lae, Papua New Guinea | 4 October 2026, 01:38 |
| 4.8 | 31 km SE of Kainantu, Papua New Guinea | 18 October 2026, 00:28 |
| 4.6 | 79 km NNE of Lae, Papua New Guinea | 3 October 2026, 17:24 |
| 4.3 | 125 km NNW of Finschhafen, Papua New Guinea | 22 September 2026, 06:13 |
| 4.2 | 25 km S of Goroka, Papua New Guinea | 20 October 2026, 00:05 |
| 4.0 | 44 km W of Madang, Papua New Guinea | 6 October 2026, 00:49 |
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