December 22, 1983 Earthquake: Ulawun, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck Ulawun, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea on December 22, 1983 at 01:02:02 UTC, 26 km below the surface. It killed 10 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- December 22, 1983
- Time
- 01:02:02 UTC
- Place
- Ulawun, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea
- Magnitude
- 6.4 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 26 km (16 mi)
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 5.392° S, 151.868° E
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
The toll
- Deaths
- 10
- Damage
- $25 million
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
Felt (V) at Ulawun Volcano and (IV) at Rabaul. Also felt on New Ireland. (reference #1053)
$25 million damage and 10 deaths. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- May 28, 1937, Keravia, Rabaul, Kokopo, Papua New Guinea
- January 13, 1941, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- November 16, 2000, New Ireland, Duke of York, Papua New Guinea
- May 10, 1985, Bialla, Piona, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- February 4, 1878, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
- March 10, 1989, Rabaul, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- May 5, 2015, Papua New Guinea
- November 17, 2000, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- March 29, 2018, Khatlon, Tajikistan
- January 1, 1916, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea
- December 30, 1990, New Britain, Papua New Guinea
- December 12, 1933, Papua New Guinea
- March 29, 2015, Papua New Guinea
- June 22, 1768, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea
- October 10, 1955, Bismarck Sea, Papua New Guinea
More
Significant earthquakes of 1983The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1983Recent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 5009.