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Major mag. 7.0 earthquake - 114 km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea on Friday, 17 July 2020 - information

Major mag. 7.0 Earthquake - Solomon Sea, 115 km northwest of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, on Friday, Jul 17, 2020 12:50 pm (Port Moresby time)

Major mag. 7.0 Earthquake - Solomon Sea, 115 km northwest of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, on Friday, Jul 17, 2020 12:50 pm (Port Moresby time) Major mag. 7.0 Earthquake - Solomon Sea, 115 km northwest of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea, on Friday, Jul 17, 2020 12:50 pm (Port Moresby time)

Major magnitude 7.0 earthquake at 80 km depth

17 Jul 02:58 UTC: First to report: USGS after 8 minutes.
Hypocenter depth recalculated from 85.2 to 85.0 km.
Jul 17 03:08: Magnitude recalculated from 7.3 to 6.9.
Hypocenter depth recalculated from 85.0 to 85.5 km.
Jul 17 03:42: Magnitude recalculated from 6.9 to 7.0.
Hypocenter depth recalculated from 85.5 to 79.8 km.

Earthquake details

Date & timeJul 17, 2020 02:50:23 UTC
Local time at epicenterFriday, Jul 17, 2020 12:50 pm (Pacific/Port Moresby GMT +10)
StatusConfirmed
Magnitude7
Depth79.8 km
Epicenter latitude / longitude7.8428°S / 147.7656°E Solomon Sea, Papua New Guinea
Antipode7.8428°N / 32.234°W
Shaking intensityModerate shaking
Felt215 reports
Primary data sourceUSGS (United States Geological Survey)
Nearest volcanoKoranga (129 km / 80 mi)
Estimated seismic energy released2 x 1015 joules (554 gigawatt hours, equivalent to 4.8 x 105 tons of TNT or 29.8 atomic bombs!) | about seismic energy
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Nearby places

Distance Place Max. shaking intensity(*) Region Country
115 km (71 mi)
SSE of epicenter
Popondetta
(pop: 28,200)
V
Moderate
Sohe, Northern Province
115 km (72 mi)
S of epicenter
Kokoda
(pop: 6,200)
V
Moderate
Sohe, Northern Province
129 km (80 mi)
WNW of epicenter
Wau
(pop: 14,600)
V
Moderate
Bulolo, Morobe Province
143 km (89 mi)
WNW of epicenter
Bulolo
(pop: 16,000)
V
Moderate
Morobe Province
151 km (94 mi)
NW of epicenter
Lae
(pop: 76,300)
V
Moderate
Morobe Province
194 km (121 mi)
SSW of epicenter
Port Moresby
(pop: 283,700)
V
Moderate
National Capital
327 km (203 mi)
NW of epicenter
Goroka
(pop: 18,500)
IV
Light
Eastern Highlands Province
364 km (226 mi)
NW of epicenter
Madang
(pop: 27,400)
IV
Light
Madang Province
366 km (227 mi)
NE of epicenter
Kimbe
(pop: 18,800)
IV
Light
West New Britain Province
448 km (279 mi)
WNW of epicenter
Hagen
(pop: 33,600)
IV
Light
Western Highlands Province
Notes:
(*) Shaking intensity according to the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI) and estimated using seismic models.

Compare Quake Data

Data for the same earthquake as reported by different agencies

The more agencies report about the same quake and post similar data, the more confidence you can have in the data. It takes normally up to a few hours until earthquake parameters are calculated with near-optimum precision.
Mag Depth Time GMT Epicenter Agency
7.0 80 km (50 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:23 114 Km NNW of Popondetta, Papua New Guinea USGS (United States Geological Survey)
7.0 86 km (53 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:23 Eastern New Guinea Reg., P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea)
8.4 km (5.2 mi) epicenter difference with USGS
GFZ (German Research Centre for Geosciences)
7.0 80 km (50 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:23 Eastern New Guinea Reg., P.n.g. (Papua New Guinea)
4.2 km (2.6 mi) epicenter difference with USGS
EMSC (European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre)
7.0 133 km (83 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:23 Eastern New Guinea Reg., P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea)
39 km (24 mi) epicenter difference with USGS
BMKG (Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency of Indonesia)
7.1 81 km (51 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:22 Eastern New Guinea Reg., P.N.G. (Papua New Guinea)
6.5 km (4 mi) epicenter difference with USGS
GeoAu (Geoscience Australia )
7.0 81 km (50 mi) 2020-07-17 02:50:22 Papua New Guinea [Sea]
3.3 km (2 mi) epicenter difference with USGS
INGV (Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia)

Seismograms

Seismic station: Honiara, Solomon Islands (HNR/IU network) | Distance from quake: 1351 km / 839 mi | Show on map | Station Info
Seismic station Honiara, Solomon Islands: vertical movement plot around time of quake (source: IRIS/BUD)
Seismogram (vertical component) around time of quake. Thin dotted red line indicates time of quake. Seismic waves arrive some time later, depending on distance. Bandpass filter applied: 0.02-5.0 Hz. Source: IRIS Buffer of Uniform Data (BUD) webtool
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User-reports for this quake (224)

User reports estimate the perceived ground shaking intensity according to the MMI (Modified Mercalli Intensity) scale.
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Port Moresby, National Capital (189.4 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : I was about to purchase Milktea in Brian Bell Home Center at Gordons, when the LCD Menu started shaking for about 30seconds. Then the whole building and ground started quaking vigorously for around 45seconds as everyone started to evacuate the building.  
I was sat Ela Medical Centre, Lawes Road, in cons (205.8 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Very strong shaking (MMI VII) : I was in consultation with clients when I we felt the strong tremor for ~a minute and abit, I thot the building might crack or fall. It was scary.  
Bomana, Port Moresby (181.6 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : What I felt lasted about 15 to 20 seconds. I was sitting at the desk, and the windows began to rattle, not continuously, but in pulses about a second or so apart. I went outside to see what was causing it, and outside I could feel (but not see)  
Port Moresby (184.4 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : A set of three tremors. Steel framework rattled and noted PVC water tank rock slightly on tank stand. (reported through our app)  
Lae city. Papua new Guinea. (149.9 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : I have to run out of the house with my two kids both crying and holding me tight.both closing their eyes when coconut palms swaying. (Lae city)  
Port Moresby 7mile Kennedy Estate (174.9 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : I was at home taking a nap and it was about 12.50pm and I felt the place moving and then I saw my wardrobe moving slightly.It lasted less than 20seconds,maybe 15.  
Coral Sea (340.8 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : It was a slow tremour and one that make you feel like motion suckness. Our TV set rocked lightly from the shake in Port Moresby for about 50 seconds. No damage done.  
Ela beach / Moderate shaking (MMI V)   
IMG_202007... .jpg (public domain)
IMG_202007... .jpg (public domain)
Horn Island, Torres Strait Islands, Australia (677.3 km WSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV) : Sitting on the couch and felt it swaying side to side for about 20 seconds and a few seconds of smaller shakes after that.  
Port Moresby, Konedobu (225.1 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV)
near Lae, Morobe (146.4 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Strong shaking (MMI VI)
Port Moresby, National Capital (193.7 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) (reported through our app)
Pacific view apartments (193 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV)
Port Moresby MRDC Haus (220.6 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV)
Port Moresby, National Capital (189.1 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Strong shaking (MMI VI) (reported through our app)
Goroka, Eastern Highlands (327.2 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V)
Gusap, Ramu, Morobe Province (277.6 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V)
Kimbe, West New Britain (369.1 km NE of epicenter) [Map] / Strong shaking (MMI VI)
Port Moresby (190.8 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) (reported through our app)
Mange, Morobe Province (128.4 km N of epicenter) [Map] / Strong shaking (MMI VI)
near Port Moresby, National Capital (216.1 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Light shaking (MMI IV)
I’m in the US but my ears rang and it was first (13569.6 km ENE of epicenter) [Map] / not felt
Lae (15.3 km ESE of epicenter) [Map] / Very strong shaking (MMI VII) : The earthquake made me scared but it only lasted for 2minutes. My head is still dizzy.  
Lea Lea, Central (182.4 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V)
near Port Moresby, National Capital (184.6 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III) : Felt the bed swaying (reported through our app)  
Madang, Kurumbukari (445.2 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III)
Siroga Village (109.7 km SSE of epicenter) [Map] / Very strong shaking (MMI VII) : Tree shaking with dry branches falling. Power lines swaying and things in house falling.  
Mt Hagen WHP (309 km WNW of epicenter) [Map] / Weak shaking (MMI III)
Madang (427.2 km NW of epicenter) [Map] / Very weak shaking (MMI II) : Was in the office ground floor with brinck walls so only slight shake for seconds only.  
Port Moresby, National Capital (188.5 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : No damage fairly sustained shaking (reported through our app)  
Port Moresby (191.6 km SSW of epicenter) [Map] / Moderate shaking (MMI V) : Very scary. That was a big one for us to feel that from far.  
Sangara Mill, Popondetta / Very strong shaking (MMI VII)   
Holes on cracked ground surface with silt lying around (public domain)
Holes on cracked ground surface with silt lying around (public domain)
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Aftershocks

[More info]

Recorded aftershocks, latest first (35 quakes)

Date and Time GMTMag
Depth
RegionDetails
Jul 8, 2022 05:14
1 year 21 weeks ago
4.7

10 km
Solomon Sea, 170 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jun 28, 2022 21:59
1 year 22 weeks ago
4.9

54 km
Solomon Sea, 153 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
May 29, 2022 08:59
1 year 26 weeks ago
4.8

48 km
83 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
May 16, 2022 19:39
1 year 28 weeks ago
4.5

78 km
Solomon Sea, 53 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Apr 11, 2022 07:11
1 year 33 weeks ago
4.6

57 km
Solomon Sea, 173 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Mar 30, 2022 11:00
1 year 35 weeks ago
4.5

88 km
31 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Mar 27, 2022 13:00
1 year 35 weeks ago
4.5

35 km
Solomon Sea, 127 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Mar 25, 2022 18:56
1 year 35 weeks ago
5.0

58 km
90 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 27, 2022 23:39
1 year 44 weeks ago
4.6

145 km
83 km S of Bulolo, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 12, 2022 13:16
1 year 46 weeks ago - felt
5.6

71 km
Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Nov 27, 2021 20:36
2 years ago - felt
5.1

10 km
Northern Province, 99 km E of Port Moresby, National Capital, Papua New GuineaMore
Nov 4, 2021 16:25
2 years ago - felt
5.2

41 km
63 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Aug 11, 2021 07:34
2 years ago
4.4

121 km
36 km N of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Aug 1, 2021 15:45
2 years ago
4.6

61 km
45 km N of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jul 24, 2021 19:49
2 years ago
4.8

75 km
Solomon Sea, 105 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jul 19, 2021 04:43
2 years ago
4.6

46 km
91 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jul 16, 2021 19:21
2 years ago
4.3

45 km
39 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
May 2, 2021 09:33
3 years ago - felt
4.6

74 km
57 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
May 1, 2021 00:40
3 years ago
5.1

78 km
81 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Mar 19, 2021 18:06
3 years ago
4.6

10 km
50 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Feb 17, 2021 12:29
3 years ago
5.1

115 km
Solomon Sea, 115 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Feb 3, 2021 16:49
3 years ago
5.3

26 km
85 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 23, 2021 16:58
3 years ago - felt
5.6

45 km
53 km N of Kaingana Island, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 23, 2021 08:34
3 years ago - felt
5.4

35 km
54 km N of Kaingana Island, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 23, 2021 03:19
3 years ago - felt
5.9

27 km
50 km NW of Kaingana Island, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jan 5, 2021 17:31
3 years ago
4.5

76 km
Solomon Sea, 102 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Dec 18, 2020 10:16
3 years ago - felt
5.2

41 km
72 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Nov 18, 2020 10:23
3 years ago
4.6

97 km
Solomon Sea, 146 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Nov 7, 2020 12:16
3 years ago
4.8

95 km
Solomon Sea, 217 km E of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Nov 5, 2020 21:57
3 years ago - felt
5.2

24 km
25 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Oct 26, 2020 18:36
3 years ago
4.9

71 km
42 km NE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Sep 10, 2020 20:31
3 years ago
5.2

77 km
Solomon Sea, 105 km SE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Aug 13, 2020 03:09
3 years ago
4.8

125 km
Solomon Sea, 27 km SE of Lae, Morobe Province, Papua New GuineaMore
Jul 22, 2020 02:02
3 years ago
4.2

92 km
Northern Province, 41 km SE of Matebinagutu Island, Papua New GuineaMore
Jul 17, 2020 17:35
3 years ago
4.8

104 km
Solomon Sea, 94 km N of Popondetta, Sohe, Northern Province, Papua New GuineaMore

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