Overall Green Earthquake alert in Papua New Guinea from 16 Sep 2025 16:59 UTC to 16:59

GDACS is a cooperation framework between the United Nations, the European Commission and disaster managers worldwide to improve awareness, information exchange and coordination in the first phase after major sudden-onset disasters.

M 6 in Papua New Guinea from 16 Sep 2025 16:59 UTC to 16:59

Hazard models

Rapid Impact

Shakemap

Tsunami

Event summary

This earthquake is expected to have a low humanitarian impact based on the magnitude and the affected population and their vulnerability.

Earthquake Magnitude:	6.0M
Depth:	77.7 Km
Lat/Lon:	-5.4693 , 153.7519
Event Date:	16 Sep 2025 16:59 UTC 17 Sep 2025 02:59 Local
Exposed Population:	120 thousand in MMI IV
Source:	NEIC us7000qwir
Inserted at:	16 Sep 2025 17:17 UTC
INFORM Coping capacity of the alert score:	1.1 (Papua New Guinea)

GDACS Score

For more info on GDACS score click here.

	Earthquake (Shakemap)		GDACS score
NEIC	0		0
us7000qwir	Scaled population (raster)	0
	C1 shakemap	0
	C2 shakemap	0
	Country Vulnerability	0
	INFORM_normalised	0
	Score no CC	0

Maximum expected impact using different data sources.

ShakeMap is a product of the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program in conjunction with the regional seismic networks. ShakeMaps provide near-real-time maps of ground motion and shaking intensity following significant earthquakes.

Episode Timeline

ID	Level	Score	Date	Mag, Depth	MMI*	Population**	Tsunami risk***	Delay (hh:mm)	Source
1660657		0	16 Sep 2025 16:59	6M, 77.7km	4.29	N/A (in MMI>=VII)		00:18	NEIC
1661426		0	16 Sep 2025 16:59	6M, 41km	3.97	80 thousand (in 100km)		3d 04:28	NEIC

The episode that generated the alert; the next major evaluations beyond 12 hours will not trigger additional alerts.

The episode that has the last updated information.

* The max MMI detected for sources having shakemaps;
** The population detected in MMI>=7 for episode with shakemap or in a 100km radius;
*** The tsunami max height.

Exposed population

The earthquake happened in Papua New Guinea ,of Northern Solomons (population 130,000) . The alertlevel for this event is GREEN

Intensity	Population
	no people

Shakemaps Timeline

Shake id #	episodeid	Lat/Lon	Magnitude	Depth	Max MMI	Date shake (UTC)	Delay (hh:mm)
1	1660657	153.752/-5.469	6	77.7	4.211	16 Sep 2025 17:23	00:23	(new episode)
2	1660657	153.752/-5.469	6	77.7	4.163	16 Sep 2025 17:30	00:31	(upd of #1)
3	1660657	153.752/-5.469	6	77.7	4.211	16 Sep 2025 19:25	02:25	(upd of #2)
4	1660657	153.752/-5.469	6	77.7	4.163	18 Sep 2025 14:00	1d 21:01	(upd of #3)
5	1660657	153.825/-5.405	6	41	4.199	19 Sep 2025 14:01	2d 21:01	(upd of #4)

Affected Provinces

Region Province	Country	Population
Northern Solomons	Papua New Guinea	83000 people
New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	<1000 people
Northern Solomons	Papua New Guinea	18000 people
New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	1400 people
East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	6000 people

Affected populated places. Areas of interest

Name	Region Province	Country	City class	Population	Distance
Bei	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	92 km
Hagan	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	96 km
Sohano	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	1800 people	97 km
Buka I	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	99 km
Taiof I	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	99 km
Gagan	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	99 km
Lemankoa	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	100 km
Beikut	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	101 km
Ieta	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	103 km
Hutjena	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	103 km
Malasang	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	104 km
Lonahan	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	105 km
Lemanmanu	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	106 km
Telatu	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	106 km
Hanpan	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	107 km
Hanahan	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	108 km
Tapsanwara	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	108 km
Puto	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	109 km
Suhin	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	109 km
Tohatsi	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	110 km
Getsgets	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	110 km
Kulis	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	111 km
Pora Pora	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	112 km
Tungol Mission	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	112 km
Konua	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	113 km
Yotchibol	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	114 km
Tanamalit	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	115 km
Mapiri	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	116 km
Sipai	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	117 km
Dios	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	118 km
Bakop	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	119 km
Sirof	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	120 km
Lihon Number 1	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	121 km
Siaken	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	121 km
Sigon Mission	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	121 km
Maliom	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	124 km
Amun	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	126 km
Kaviki	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	127 km
Namkario	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	131 km
Kuraio Mission	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	132 km
Dios	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	139 km
Naliu	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	160 km
Torakina	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	168 km
Sampun	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	181 km
Taimtop	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	181 km
Wawas	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	182 km
Marunga	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	189 km
Wusing	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	196 km
Suralil	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	197 km
Utuan Number 2	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	198 km
Nabual	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	200 km
Utuan Number 1	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	201 km
Kumlakor	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	201 km
Rakanda	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	201 km
Watara	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	202 km
Kabakabiui	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	202 km
Kumaina	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	203 km
Huris	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	204 km
Weteili	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	204 km
Winagut	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	204 km
Kabapuko	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	204 km
Maren	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	206 km
Urakukur	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	206 km
Kibil	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	207 km
Palipal	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	209 km
Toma	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	213 km
Hikan	New Ireland	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	216 km
Arawa	Bougainville	Papua New Guinea	Village	39000 people	218 km
Matupit Number 1	East New Britain	Papua New Guinea	Village	-	221 km

see full list

Critical infrastructure

Airports, ports, nuclear plants and hydrodams at risk, if affected, are listed below.

Airports

Name	IATA Code	Elevation (m)	Distance
Buka	BUA	3	102 km
Dios	DOS	unknown	135 km
Sabah	SBV	unknown	144 km
Rakanda	RAA	unknown	203 km
Rabaul	RAB	4	222 km

Ports

Name	LOCODE	Country	Distance
Queen Carola Harbor		Papua New Guinea	96 km
Buka	PGBUA	Papua New Guinea	101 km
Nissan Island		Papua New Guinea	111 km

More information

For a full list of available products related to this event, please refer to the GDACS Resources page.

Disclaimer
While we try everything to ensure accuracy, this information is purely indicative and should not be used for any decision making without alternate sources of information.
The JRC is not responsible for any damage or loss resulting from the use of the information presented on this website.
The designations employed and the presentation of material on the map do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the European Union concerning the legal status of any country, territory or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.