This is an incomplete list of more recent recorded major earthquakes that have occurred within the boundaries of Indonesia. The determinants of the activity are indicated by the geology of the region, and the volcanic activity.
Large numbers of earthquakes of smaller magnitude occur very regularly due to the meeting of major tectonic plates in the region. Based on the records of the USGS, Indonesia has had more than 150 earthquakes with magnitude > 7 in the period 1901–2019.
Date | Region | Mag. | MMI | Fatalities | Injuries | Comments | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024-04-27 | Java | 6.1 Mw | V | 1 | 12 | Hundreds buildings damage | [1] [2] |
2024-03-22 | East Java | 6.4 Mw | VIII | 14 | 3,500 building damage in Bawean island, Tuban and Surabaya | ||
2023-06-30 | Special Region of Yogyakarta | 5.9 Mw | IV | 1 | 23 | Severe damage | [3] |
2023-04-24 | West Sumatra | 7.1 Mw | VIII | Moderate damage | [4] | ||
2023-04-14 | East Java | 7.0 Mw | V | 1 | [5] | ||
2023-02-09 | Papua | 5.1 Mw | V | 4 | 5 | Severe damage | [6] |
2023-01-18 | North Maluku | 7.0 Mw | V | Minor damage | [7] | ||
2023-01-09 | Maluku | 7.6 Mw | VI | 11 | Moderate damage | [8] | |
2022-12-03 | Java | 5.7 Mw | IV | 2 | Slight damage | [9] | |
2022-11-21 | Java | 5.6 Mw | VIII | 335–635 | 7,729 | Extreme damage | [10] |
2022-09-30 | Sumatra | 5.9 Mw | VII | 2 | 25 | Moderate damage | [11] |
2022-02-25 | Sumatra | 6.1 Mw | VIII | 27 | 457 | Severe damage | |
2022-01-14 | Java | 6.6 Mw | VI | 10 | 3,000 buildings damaged | [12] | |
2021-12-14 | Flores | 7.3 Mw | VI | 1 | 173 | Severe damage | [13] |
2021-10-16 | Bali | 4.7 Mw | IV | 4 | 72 | [14] | |
2021-08-26 | Sulawesi | 5.5 Mw | VII | 1 | 39 | [15] | |
2021-07-26 | Sulawesi | 6.3 Mw | VI | 1 | [16] | ||
2021-04-11 | Java | 6.0 Mw | V | 10 | 104 | [17] | |
2021-02-03 | Sulawesi | 4.9 Mw | III | 1 | [18] | ||
2021-01-14 | Sulawesi | 6.2 Mw | VI | 105 | 3,369 | [19] | |
2020-10-27 | Sulawesi | 5.4 Mw | VI | 1 | [20] | ||
2019-11-12 | Maluku | 5.0 Mw | IV | 2 | 9 | Aftershock. | [21] |
2019-11-04 | Molucca Sea | 7.1 Mw | VII | 1 | 3 | [22] | |
2019-10-10 | Maluku | 5.2 Mw | IV | 1 | 3 | Casualties due to damage to a college. | [23] [24] |
2019-09-25 | Maluku | 6.5 Mw | VII | 41 | 1,578 | Landslides. | [25] |
2019-08-02 | Java | 6.9 Mw | VI | 8 | 8 | [26] | |
2019-07-14 | North Maluku | 7.2 Mw | VIII | 14 | 129 | [27] | |
2019-04-12 | Sulawesi | 6.8 Mw | VI | 1 | [28] | ||
2019-03-17 | Lombok | 5.5 Mw | V | 6 | 182 | [29] | |
2018-11-14 | Sulawesi | 5.6 Mw | VII | 7 | 6 | Landslides. | [30] |
2018-10-10 | Java | 6.0 Mw | V | 4 | 36 | [31] | |
2018-09-28 | Sulawesi | 7.5 Mw | X | 4,340 | 10,679 | Major tsunami (up to 11m), more than 600 people missing. | [32] |
2018-08-19 | Lombok | 6.9 Mw | VII | 14 | 24 | Fatalities also in Sumbawa. | [33] |
2018-08-19 | Lombok | 6.3 Mw | VII | 2 | 3 | Aftershock. | [34] |
2018-08-09 | Lombok | 5.9 Mw | VII | 6 | 24 | Aftershock. | [35] |
2018-08-05 | Lombok | 6.9 Mw | VIII | 513 | 1,353 | Widespread damage. | [36] |
2018-07-29 | Lombok | 6.4 Mw | VI | 20 | 401 | Foreshock. | [37] [38] |
2018-07-21 | Sumatra | 5.2 MW | 1 | 2 | [39] | ||
2018-04-18 | Java | 4.5 MW | 3 | 21 | Buildings damaged in Kalibening District. | [40] | |
2018-01-23 | Java | 6.0 MW | V | 2 | 41 | ||
2017-12-15 | Java | 6.5 Mw | VII | 4 | 36 | ||
2017-11-18 | North Maluku | 5.8 Mw | VI | 1 | Moderate damage | [41] | |
2017-10-31 | Ambon | 6.3 Mw | VII | 1 | [42] | ||
2016-12-07 | Sumatra | 6.5 Mw | VIII | 104 | 1,273 | Heavy damage in Aceh region. | |
2016-03-02 | Sumatra | 7.8 Mw | III | ||||
2015-07-28 | Papua | 7.0 Mw | VII | 1 | Buildings damaged or destroyed. | [43] | |
2013-07-02 | Sumatra | 6.1 Mw | 43 | 276 | [44] | ||
2013-04-06 | Papua | 7.0 Mw | VII | 3 | 2 | Deaths from landslides. | [45] [46] |
2012-08-18 | Sulawesi | 6.3 Mw | VIII | 6 | 43 | Severe damage | [47] |
2012-04-11 | Wharton Basin | 8.2 Mw | VI | Doublet | |||
2012-04-11 | Wharton Basin | 8.6 Mw | VII | 10 | 12 | Doublet | |
2011-10-13 | Bali | 6.1 Mw | V | 43 | [48] | ||
2011-09-05 | Sumatra | 6.7 Mw | 10 | [49] | |||
2010-10-25 | Sumatra | 7.8 Mw | VII | 408 | Tsunami (local), hundreds missing. | ||
2010-06-16 | Papua | 7.0 Mw | VII | 17 | |||
2010-05-09 | Sumatra | 7.2 Mw | V | ||||
2010-04-06 | Sumatra | 7.8 Mw | VIII | 62 | |||
2010-01-10 | Java | 5.1 Mw | V | 1 | 2 | [50] | |
2009-10-01 | Sumatra | 6.6 Mw | VII | 3 | Severe damage. | [51] | |
2009-09-30 | Sumatra | 7.6 Mw | VIII | 1,115 | 2,902 | Tsunami (local) | |
2009-09-02 | Java | 7.3 Mw | VII | 79 | 1,250 | Tsunami (local) | [52] |
2009-02-12 | Talaud | 7.2 Mw | VI | 64 | |||
2009-01-04 | West Papua | 7.4 Mw | VII | Doublet | |||
2009-01-04 | West Papua | 7.7 Mw | VI | 4 | 50+ | Doublet / tsunami (local) | |
2008-11-16 | Sulawesi | 7.3 Mw | VII | 4 | 59 | ||
2008-02-20 | Simeulue | 7.4 Mw | 4 | 25 | [53] | ||
2007-09-13 | Sumatra | 7.0 Mw | VII | ||||
2007-09-13 | Sumatra | 7.9 Mw | VII | 23 | 88 | ||
2007-09-12 | Sumatra | 8.5 Mw | VI | ||||
2007-03-06 | Sumatra | 6.3 Mw | VI | ||||
2007-03-06 | Sumatra | 6.4 Mw | VIII | 68 | 460 | ||
2007-01-21 | Molucca Sea | 7.5 Mw | VI | 4 | [54] | ||
2006-12-18 | Sumatra | 5.8 Mw | VI | 7 | [55] | ||
2006-07-17 | Java | 7.7 Mw | V | 668 | 9,299 | Tsunami (regional) | |
2006-05-27 | Java | 6.4 Mw | IX | 5,749 | 38,568 | Extreme damage | |
2006-03-14 | Seram | 6.7 Mw | VI | 4 | Tsunami (local) (7 m (23 ft)) | [56] | |
2005-03-28 | Sumatra | 8.6 Mw | VIII | 1,314 | 1,146 | ||
2004-12-26 | Sumatra–Andaman | 9.2–9.3 Mw | IX | 227,898 | Tsunami (basin wide), 167,540 fatalities in Indonesia | ||
2004-11-26 | Papua | 7.1 Mw | VIII | 32 | 130–213 | ||
2004-11-11 | Alor | 7.5 Mw | VIII | 34 | 400 | Severe damage | [57] |
2004-02-07 | Western New Guinea | 7.3 Mw | Doublet / Damage at Nabire | [58] | |||
2004-02-05 | Western New Guinea | 7.0 Mw | VI | 37 | Doublet | [59] | |
2004-01-01 | Bali | 5.8 Mw | VI | 1 | 29 | Several thousand buildings damaged | NGDC 1972 |
2003-05-26 | Halmahera | 7.0 Mw | VIII [60] | 1 | [61] | ||
2002-11-02 | Sumatra | 7.3 Mw | VI | 3 | 65 | ||
2002-10-10 | Western New Guinea | 7.6 Mw | 8 | Tsunami (local) | [62] | ||
2000-06-04 | Sumatra | 7.9 Mw | VIII | 103 | 2,174 | ||
2000-05-04 | Sulawesi | 7.6 Mw | VII | 46 | 264 | Tsunami (local) | NGDC 1972 |
Date | Region | Mag. | MMI | Fatalities | Injuries | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1999-12-21 | Java | 6.5 Mw | VII | 5 | 220 | ||
1998-11-29 | North Maluku | 7.7 Mw | VII | 41 | 171 | Tsunami | |
1996-02-17 | Biak | 8.1 Mw | IX | 166 | 423 | ||
1996-01-01 | Sulawesi | 7.9 Mw | 8 | Tsunami (local) | [63] | ||
1995-10-06 | Sumatra | 6.8 Mw | 84 | 1868 | Extreme damage | NGDC 1972 | |
1994-06-03 | Java | 7.8 Mw | IV | 250 | Tsunami (local) | ||
1994-02-15 | Sumatra | 7.0 Mw | VII | 207 | 2,000+ | ||
1992-12-12 | Flores | 7.8 Mw | IX–X | 2,500 | 500 | Tsunami (local) | |
1989-08-01 | West Papua | 6.0 Mw | VIII | 120 | 125 | ||
1984-11-17 | Sumatra | 7.2 Mw | VII | 1 | |||
1982-12-25 | Flores | 5.9 Mw | VI | 13 | 390 | ||
1981-01-19 | Papua | 6.8 ML | 305 | Hundreds missing | |||
1979-12-18 | Bali | 6.3 Ms | VIII | 27 | 200+ | ||
1979-09-12 | West Papua | 7.5 Mw | IX | 115 | Tsunami | ||
1977-08-19 | Sumba | 8.3 Mw | 180 | 1,100 | Tsunami (local) | ||
1976-07-14 | Bali | 6.5 Ms | IX | 573 | 4,750 | ||
1976-06-25 | Papua | 7.1 Mw | X | 422 | Landslides, thousands missing | ||
1969-02-23 | West Sulawesi | 7.0 Mw | VIII | 664 | Tsunami | ||
1968-10-14 | Sulawesi | 7.4 ML | 213 | ||||
1967-02-19 | East Java | 6.3 Mw | VII | 54 | 300 | Heavy damage in Malang and Trenggalek Regencies | [64] [65] |
1965-01-24 | Sanana | 8.2 Mw | 71 | ||||
1950-06-12 | Java | 6.6 Mw | VII | 16 | [66] | ||
1943-06-08 | Sumatra | 7.2 Mw | Doublet | ||||
1943-06-09 | Sumatra | 7.5 Mw | Doublet | ||||
1943-07-23 | Java | 7.0 Mw | VIII | 213 | 2,096 | Severe damage | NGDC 1972 |
1943-04-01 | Java | 7.1 Mw | VII | Severe | [67] | ||
1938-02-01 | Banda Sea | 8.5-8.6 Mw | VII | Tsunami (local) | |||
1937-09-27 | Java | 6.9 Mw | VII | 1 | 300 Homes destroyed | [68] | |
1935-12-28 | Sumatra | 7.7 Mw | VIII | Tsunami (local) | |||
1933-06-24 | Sumatra | 7.7 Ms | IX | 76+ | Heavy damage. Volcanic eruption triggered. | ||
1931-09-25 | Sumatra | 7.3 Mw | Tsunami (Local) | ||||
1926-09-10 | Java | 7.1 Mw | VII | [69] | |||
1926-06-28 | West Sumatra | 7.6 ML | VII | 354 | |||
1924-12-02 | Central Java | 5.8 Mw | IX | 900 | Extreme damage and mudslide in Wonosobo Regency | [70] | |
1921-09-11 | Java | 7.6 Mw | [71] | ||||
1917-01-20 | Bali | 6.6 Ms | IX | 1,500 | Landslides | ||
1916-09-11 | East Java | 6.6 Mw | Many homes damaged | [72] | |||
1913-03-14 | Mindanao | 7.9 Mw | IX | 138 | |||
1909-06-04 | Sumatra | 7.6 Mw | IX | 195–200 | |||
1907-01-04 | Sumatra | 8.2–8.4 Mw | VIII | 2,188 | Tsunami (regional) | ||
1903-02-27 | Java, Sumatra | 7.3 Mw | VIII | Tsunami | [73] |
Date | Region | Mag. | MMI | Fatalities | Injuries | Comments | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1899-09-30 | Seram | 7.8 Ms | 3,864 | Tsunami (local) | |||
1898-01-06 | Ambon | 126 | 300+ | Heavy damage | [74] | ||
1867-06-10 | Java | 7.8 Mw | IX | 700 | Severe damage | ||
1861-02-16 | Sumatra | 8.5 Mw | 2,000+ | ||||
1852-11-25 | Banda Sea | 8.3 Ms | IX | 60+ | Severe damage / tsunami (regional) | NGDC 1972 | |
1843-01-05 | Sumatra | 7.3 Ms | XI | Many | Severe damage / tsunami (local) | NGDC 1972 | |
1834-10-10 | Java | 7.0-7.7 Mw | IX | 5 | [75] | ||
1833-11-25 | Sumatra | 8.8–9.2 Mw | Numerous | Tsunami (local) | |||
1833-01-28 | Java | 7.0 Mw[ failed verification ] | VII-VIII | Multiple | [76] | ||
1820-12-29 | Flores Sea | 7.5 Mw | 500 | Tsunami | [77] | ||
1815-11-22 | Bali | 7.0 Ms | 10,253 | Tsunami | NGDC 1972 | ||
1797-02-10 | Sumatra | 8.4 Mw | Numerous | Tsunami (local) | |||
1780-01-22 | Java | 8.0-8.5 Mw | VIII | Severe Damage | [75] | ||
1699-01-05 | Batavia (Jakarta) | 7.4-8.0 Mw | IX | 128 | Severe Damage | [78] | |
1674-02-17 | Ambon–Seram | 6.8 Ms | 86 | 135 | Severe damage / tsunami | NGDC 1972 | |
1629-08-01 | Banda Sea | 8.2–8.8 Ms | Tsunami (regional) | ||||
Note: The inclusion criteria for adding events are based on WikiProject Earthquakes' notability guideline that was developed for stand alone articles. The principles described also apply to lists. In summary, only damaging, injurious, or deadly events should be recorded. |
Earthquakes are caused by movements within the Earth's crust and uppermost mantle. They range from weak events detectable only by seismometers, to sudden and violent events lasting many minutes which have caused some of the greatest disasters in human history. Below, earthquakes are listed by period, region or country, year, magnitude, cost, fatalities and number of scientific studies.
An earthquake occurred on July 17, 2006 at 15:19:27 local time along a subduction zone off the coast of west and central Java, a large and densely populated island in the Indonesian archipelago. The shock had a moment magnitude of 7.7 and a maximum perceived intensity of IV (Light) in Jakarta, the capital and largest city of Indonesia. There were no direct effects of the earthquake's shaking due to its low intensity, and the large loss of life from the event was due to the resulting tsunami, which inundated a 300 km (190 mi) portion of the Java coast that had been unaffected by the earlier 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami that was off the coast of Sumatra. The July 2006 earthquake was also centered in the Indian Ocean, 180 kilometers (110 mi) from the coast of Java, and had a duration of more than three minutes.
An earthquake occurred on September 2, 2009 at 14:55:01 local time in West Java, Indonesia. The magnitude 7.0 earthquake killed at least 81 people, injured over 1,297, and displaced over 210,000. The quake was felt in the capital Jakarta, although damage there was minimal, and it was Indonesia's deadliest earthquake since the 2006 Pangandaran earthquake and tsunami.
The 2010 Mentawai earthquake occurred with a moment magnitude of 7.8 on 25 October off the western coast of Sumatra at 21:42 local time. The earthquake occurred on the same fault that produced the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake. It was widely felt across the provinces of Bengkulu and West Sumatra and resulted in a substantial localized tsunami that struck the Mentawai Islands.
The 2017 Java earthquake occurred on 15 December 2017 when a moment magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Java, specifically the city of Tasikmalaya on 23:47:58 West Indonesian Time in West Java, Indonesia. The earthquake struck at a depth of 91 km and was categorized as a strong but deep earthquake. It was initially registered as a 7.3 magnitude earthquake by Indonesian agencies. Widespread damage was reported across Tasikmalaya, the nearest major city to the epicentre. A tsunami warning was immediately issued by the authorities but was subsequently cancelled. Four people have been confirmed dead.
On 28 September 2018, a shallow, large earthquake struck in the neck of the Minahasa Peninsula, Indonesia, with its epicentre located in the mountainous Donggala Regency, Central Sulawesi. The magnitude 7.5 quake was located 70 km (43 mi) away from the provincial capital Palu and was felt as far away as Samarinda on East Kalimantan and also in Tawau, Malaysia. This event was preceded by a sequence of foreshocks, the largest of which was a magnitude 6.1 tremor that occurred earlier that day.
The 2019 Sunda Strait earthquake occurred on the night of 2 August 2019, when a magnitude 6.9 earthquake rattled Sunda Strait at a moderate depth of 52.8 kilometres. The epicentre was located 214 km from Bandar Lampung, the capital of Lampung and 147 km west of Sumur, Pandeglang Regency. The earthquake struck with a maximum intensity of VI (Strong). The earthquake prompted a tsunami warning in the area, with authorities urging coastal residents to immediately evacuate to higher grounds.
An earthquake occurred on 10 April 2021 at 14:00 local time (UTC+07:00) off the south coast of eastern Java. The epicenter of the earthquake is located 44 km south–southwest of Gondanglegi Kulon in East Java province. Measuring 6.0 or 6.1 on the moment magnitude scale (Mw ) and having a depth of 82.3 km, the earthquake caused moderate shaking measuring V on the Mercalli intensity scale. At least 10 individuals are known to have died from the earthquake and another 104 were seriously injured.
An earthquake occurred 112 km, offshore, north of Maumere in the Flores Sea on 14 December. The quake had a moment magnitude of 7.3 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). One person was killed and 173 others suffered injuries.