Moderate earthquake strikes Papua New Guinea region with shallow depth

A MAGNITUDE 5.2 earthquake struck the Papua New Guinea region late on Sunday night, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, raising fresh attention to seismic activity across the Pacific’s earthquake-prone zone.

The tremor occurred at 2258 GMT and was detected at a relatively shallow depth of 10 kilometres beneath the Earth’s surface, a level that can increase the likelihood of ground shaking being felt in nearby areas.

According to data released by the German seismic monitoring agency and reported by Xinhua News Agency, the earthquake’s epicentre was initially located at latitude 6.54 degrees south and longitude 147.52 degrees east.

There were no immediate reports of casualties, structural damage or tsunami warnings following the quake.

Papua New Guinea lies along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions where tectonic plate movements regularly trigger tremors and volcanic activity. Shallow earthquakes in the region are closely monitored due to their potential impact on remote coastal and mountainous communities. - May 18, 2026