Location:

Period:

4 Apr 2025 20:20:58 - 7 Apr 2025 20:00:41 (2 days 23 hours 39 minutes)

Volcanoes in 100km radius:

None

Earthquakes:

19 swarms found nearby.

2000

PS20001116.3(85.8km)

16 Nov

3 days 5 hours

52 earthquakes

2003

PS20030704.1(96.6km)

3 Jul

14 hours

5 earthquakes

2005

PS20050223.1(86.1km)

23 Feb

11 hours

5 earthquakes

PS20050929.1(85.6km)

29 Sep

21 hours

7 earthquakes

2006

PS20061017.1(71.1km)

17 Oct

1 day 0 hours

6 earthquakes

PS20061107.1(56.7km)

6 Nov

1 day 4 hours

7 earthquakes

PS20061112.1(40.9km)

11 Nov

2 days 0 hours

9 earthquakes

2010

PS20100719.1(96.5km)

18 Jul

1 day 2 hours

8 earthquakes

2011

PS20110616.1(55.8km)

16 Jun

1 day 3 hours

8 earthquakes

2014

PS20141012.1(112.5km)

12 Oct

4 hours

7 earthquakes

2015

PS20150503.1(80.5km)

3 May

11 hours

7 earthquakes

PS20150505.1(112.1km)

5 May

1 day 5 hours

15 earthquakes

PS20150509.1(54.3km)

9 May

7 hours

5 earthquakes

PS20150916.1(25.0km)

16 Sep

5 hours

5 earthquakes

2018

PS20180329.1(54.3km)

29 Mar

15 hours

8 earthquakes

PS20181010.1(92.9km)

10 Oct

1 hours

5 earthquakes

PS20181221.1(99.9km)

21 Dec

7 hours

5 earthquakes

2020

PS20200825.1(83.2km)

25 Aug

59 minutes

6 earthquakes

2025

PS20250404.1(4.1km)

4 Apr

21 hours

21 earthquakes

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Seismic Swarm S20250405.1 Recorded 166 km East-Southeast of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea

A notable earthquake swarm designated S20250405.1 occurred in the Bismarck Sea region, approximately 166 km east-southeast of Kimbe, Papua New Guinea. The sequence began at 20:20 on 4 April 2025 and concluded at 20:00 on 7 April 2025, spanning 71 hours and 39 minutes. During this period, 38 earthquakes were registered, with magnitudes ranging from 4.0 to 4.9 and focal depths predominantly at 10 km, except for one event at 6 km.

The swarm initiated with a magnitude 4.9 event at 20:20:58 on 4 April, followed rapidly by additional shocks of 4.2, 4.6, 4.5, and further events through the evening. Peak activity included multiple magnitude 4.9 earthquakes on 5 April at 00:46, 02:02, 21:56, 21:59, and 23:26, alongside a 4.8 event early on 6 April. Later activity on 7 April featured additional magnitude 4.9 and 4.8 shocks before tapering off. Most events clustered at shallow crustal depths, consistent with regional tectonic patterns.

This swarm aligns with the tectonic setting of the New Britain subduction zone, where the Solomon Sea plate subducts beneath the South Bismarck plate. The area lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent seismicity due to oblique convergence between the Australian and Pacific plates. Historical records indicate 19 prior swarms in the region since 2000, occurring in 2000 (1), 2003 (1), 2005 (2), 2006 (3), 2010 (1), 2011 (1), 2014 (1), 2015 (4), 2018 (3), 2020 (1), and 2025 (1). These sequences typically reflect stress adjustments along the subduction interface and associated fault systems rather than precursory activity to larger mainshocks.

Geological studies of the Bismarck Sea highlight its complex plate boundary, featuring back-arc spreading centers and volcanic arcs that contribute to elevated seismic hazard. The 2025 swarm's characteristics, including its duration and magnitude distribution, mirror patterns observed in earlier episodes, underscoring ongoing tectonic deformation in this highly active margin.

References

SeismoSight internal swarm classification S20250405.1
USGS Earthquake Catalog (regional tectonics)
Global CMT Project (plate boundary models)