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A magnitude 4.4 earthquake struck near Kokopo in East New Britain Province, Papua New Guinea, on Friday morning.
The quake happened at 7:42 am local time on January 30, 2026. It struck about 134 kilometers southwest of Kokopo.
Earthquake Details
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 156 kilometers. As a result, ground shaking stayed very weak.
Monitoring agencies reported no felt reports at the time of writing. Also, no damage or injuries have been confirmed.
Nearby Areas
Kokopo is the closest major town to the epicenter. Residents there may have noticed light movement.
In addition, nearby towns such as Rabaul and Kimbe sit within the wider impact area. However, shaking in these locations remained very weak.
Meanwhile, Port Moresby, the capital city, is far from the epicenter. People there did not feel the quake.
Seismic Monitoring
Seismic stations recorded the earthquake using data from the United States Geological Survey. Later, analysts confirmed the event after review.
The quake released energy equal to about 60 tons of TNT. Therefore, experts expect no surface impact.
Ongoing Situation
Papua New Guinea lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire. Because of this, earthquakes happen often in the region.
For now, authorities continue to monitor the area. However, no aftershocks have been reported.
Source Attribution
Details were confirmed through international seismic monitoring agencies, including the United States Geological Survey and regional earthquake centers.
