M6.9 Earthquake near Pematangsiantar, Indonesia — 15 August 2026
A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.9 was recorded near Pematangsiantar, Indonesia on , with an epicentre 15 km north-northwest of Pematangsiantar, at a focal depth of 172.5 km.
Time (UTC): 2026-08-15 10:54:51
Time (your timezone): —
Magnitude: 6.9 (strong)
Focal depth: 172.5 km (intermediate)
Epicentre: 3.0856, 99.0150
Location: 15 km NNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia
USGS link to NOAA tsunami information: Not linked
Review status: Reviewed
Source: USGS event page
How strong was this earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground.
A magnitude 6.9 earthquake radiates roughly 337,605 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
The USGS assigns this earthquake a significance score of 747, which meets the USGS threshold of more than 600 for its significant-earthquake list. The ranking combines magnitude with available Did You Feel It responses and PAGER alert level; it is not a direct measurement of damage.
Where was the epicentre?
The epicentre was located at 3.0856, 99.0150 — 15 km north-northwest of Pematangsiantar. The closest other recorded event was a magnitude 4.6 earthquake 56 km south-southeast of here on 26 April 2026.
Why the 173 km depth matters
At 173 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the tsunami information flag mean?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because its 173 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
How earthquakes generate tsunamis, and what the alert levels mean →
Aftershocks and local seismic history
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 22 hours since this event.
22 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.8 event near Blangpidie on 31 January 2025. This M6.9 event released about 45 times more energy than that event.
How long aftershock sequences last, and how large they get →
Where this event sits in the record
This earthquake is part of the August 2026 worldwide record. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.
Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre
- M4.6 earthquake near Parapat, Indonesia — (56 km SSE)
- M4.9 earthquake near Tomok Bolon, Indonesia — (69 km S)
- M4.4 earthquake near Sibolga, Indonesia — (116 km S)
- M5.5 earthquake near Sibolga, Indonesia — (126 km S)
- M4.6 earthquake near Sibolga, Indonesia — (135 km S)
- M4.6 earthquake near Sibolga, Indonesia — (136 km S)
- M4.7 earthquake near Padangsidempuan, Indonesia — (149 km S)
- M4.2 earthquake near Singkil, Indonesia — (160 km W)
- M4.5 earthquake near Langsa, Indonesia — (202 km NW)
- M5.0 earthquake near Langsa, Indonesia — (210 km NW)
Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide
- M7.1 earthquake near Uki, Japan —
- M7.1 earthquake near Uki, Japan —
- M6.8 earthquake near Uto, Japan —
- M6.7 earthquake near southeast of the Loyalty Islands —
- M6.7 earthquake near Sarangani, Philippines —
- M6.9 earthquake near Kuji, Japan —
- M7.2 earthquake near San Felipe, Venezuela —
- M6.7 earthquake near central Mid-Atlantic Ridge —
Questions about this earthquake
How strong is a magnitude 6.9 earthquake?
Strong earthquakes can cause significant damage in populated areas within roughly 100 km of the epicentre, particularly to older masonry buildings. Landslides and liquefaction become a real risk in susceptible ground. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake radiates roughly 337,605 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.
How deep was the earthquake near Pematangsiantar?
At 173 km this was an intermediate-depth earthquake. Energy from events at this depth spreads out before it reaches the surface, which usually means weaker shaking near the epicentre than a shallow quake of the same magnitude, but shaking felt across a wider area.
Was the M6.9 earthquake near Pematangsiantar felt?
This catalogue does not ingest eyewitness responses, so it cannot confirm where this earthquake was felt. Based on magnitude alone, an event this size can produce strong, widely felt shaking. Its intermediate depth normally reduces peak shaking near the epicentre compared with a shallow event of the same magnitude.
What does the USGS tsunami field mean for this event?
The USGS record does not carry a link to NOAA tsunami information. That field is not an all-clear and does not state whether a tsunami occurred. In this case, a damaging tsunami would be less likely because its 173 km focal depth is too great to deform the sea floor significantly; it occurred inland rather than beneath the sea floor. For an active coastal alert, use tsunami.gov or your local warning authority.
Have there been aftershocks?
No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the 22 hours since this event.
How often do earthquakes happen near Pematangsiantar?
22 earthquakes of magnitude 4 or above have been logged within roughly 200 km of this epicentre in our catalogue. The strongest was a magnitude 5.8 event near Blangpidie on 31 January 2025. This M6.9 event released about 45 times more energy than that event.