Very strong M6.9 earthquake hits Papua New Guinea, hazardous tsunami waves possible
A very strong earthquake registered by the USGS as M6.9 hit New Britain region of Papua New Guinea at 20:05 UTC on April 4, 2025 (06:05 LT, April 5). The agency is reporting a depth of 10 km (6.2 miles). EMSC is reporting the same magnitude and depth.
Image credit: TW/SAM, Google
The epicenter was located 195 km (121 miles) ESE of Kimbe (population 18 847) and 215 km (133 miles) SSW of Kokopo (population 26 273), Papua New Guinea
40 000 people are estimated to have felt moderate shaking and 665 000 light.
Based on all available data, hazardous tsunami waves are possible for some coasts, NWS PTWC said.
Tsunami waves reaching 1 to 3 m (3.3 – 10 feet) above tide level are possible along some coasts of Papua New Guinea. Tsunami waves are forecast to be less than 0.3 m (1 foot) above tide level for the coasts of the Solomon Islands.
A tsunami is a series of waves, with the time between wave crests from 5 minutes to an hour.
Tsunami impacts can vary significantly from one section of the coast to the next due to local bathymetry and the shape and elevation of the shoreline. The hazard may persist for many hours or longer after the initial wave.
The USGS issued a Green alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. There is a low likelihood of casualties and damage.
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are a mix of vulnerable and earthquake-resistant construction. The predominant vulnerable building types are informal (metal, timber, GI etc.) and unreinforced brick masonry construction.
Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.
Estimated population exposure to earthquake shaking
Selected cities exposed
Regional seismicity
References:
1 M6.9 earthquake Papua New Guinea – USGS – April 4, 2025
2 M6.9 earthquake Papua New Guinea – EMSC – April 4, 2025
3 M6.9 earthquake Papua New Guinea – Tsunami Threat Message – PTWC – April 4, 2025
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