M6.6 Earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — 20 May 2025
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.6 was recorded near Angoram, Papua New Guinea on , with an epicentre 111 km northeast of Angoram, at a focal depth of 53.0 km.
Time (UTC): 2025-05-20 15:05:59
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.6 (strong)
Focal depth: 53.0 km (shallow)
Epicentre: -3.5000, 144.9000
Location: 111 km NE of Angoram, Papua New Guinea
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Available
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake radiates roughly 119,787 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 670, which meets the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at -3.5000, 144.9000 — 111 km northeast of Angoram. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.5 earthquake 39 km east-southeast of here on 18 April 2025.
Why the 53 km depth matters
At 53 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
45 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.4 event near Angoram on 20 May 2025. This M6.6 event released about 2.0 times more energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the May 2025 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.5 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (39 km ESE)
- M4.8 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (41 km SE)
- M6.4 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (42 km SSW)
- M5.1 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (50 km E)
- M4.9 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (80 km E)
- M4.7 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (117 km SSW)
- M4.6 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (118 km SSW)
- M4.8 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (119 km SSW)
- M5.3 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (120 km SSW)
- M4.1 earthquake near Angoram, Papua New Guinea — (127 km SW)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M6.8 earthquake near Uto, Japan —
- M6.7 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.3 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.5 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near Lorengau, Papua New Guinea —
- M6.4 earthquake near South Sandwich Islands region —
- M6.7 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.5 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.6 earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.6 earthquake radiates roughly 119,787 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Angoram?
At 53 km this was a shallow earthquake. Shallow events release their energy close to the surface, so for a given magnitude they produce noticeably stronger shaking — and more damage — than deeper ones. Roughly three quarters of all earthquakes worldwide occur at shallow depths.
Was the M6.6 earthquake near Angoram felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its shallow focus makes stronger surface shaking more likely than for a deeper event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS event record links to NOAA tsunami information because this was a large event in an oceanic region. That link flag does not mean a tsunami occurred or that a warning is active. Check tsunami.gov and instructions from your local authority for the current status of your coastline.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Angoram?
45 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 6.4 event near Angoram on 20 May 2025. This M6.6 event released about 2.0 times more energy than that event.