March 4, 2018 Earthquake: S Highlands, Papua New Guinea
A magnitude 6 earthquake struck S Highlands, Papua New Guinea on March 4, 2018 at 19:56:17 UTC, 10 km below the surface. It killed 11 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
- March 4, 2018
- Time
- 19:56:17 UTC
- Place
- S Highlands, Papua New Guinea
- Magnitude
- 6 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 10 km (6 mi)
- Intensity
- 6 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 6.331° S, 142.599° E
- Country
- Papua New Guinea
The toll
- Deaths
- 11
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.
Eleven people killed by a landslide in the epicentral area. (reference #13456)
Authorities in Papua New Guinea's Highlands say 11 people died during a strong earthquake aftershock this morning. The magnitude-6 aftershock hit the region at 6:00am, one week after a magnitude-7.5 quake that struck in the early hours of February 26, killing at least 31 people and triggering landslides, flattening buildings and closing oil and gas operations. Provincial authorities said this morning's aftershock caused a landslide that buried people in the small village of Huya. (reference #12053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
More
Significant earthquakes of 2018The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2018Recent 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 10312.