Earthquake.now

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. It ranked as the 3rd strongest of 91 earthquakes recorded in Indonesia in the preceding 30 days.

6.9 Strong

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

Country: 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.

What the magnitude scale actually measures →

When it happened locally

That is about 17:30 local solar time at the epicentre, during the afternoon.

This event was deeper than 90% of the 1,510 earthquakes recorded in Indonesia in our catalogue and stronger than 100% of them.

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.

The nearest other settlements in our records are Parapat (56 km south-southeast), Tomok Bolon (69 km south), Sibolga (136 km south) and Singkil (160 km west).

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.

Read more on how focal depth changes what you feel →

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 seven days after this event.

23 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.

2 earthquakes have been recorded within 100 km of this epicentre in the past year, 0 of them in the past 30 days.

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, and of earthquakes in Indonesia during August 2026. Browse the full monthly archive to compare periods.

Nearest recorded earthquakes to this epicentre

Other recent earthquakes in Indonesia

All recorded earthquakes in Indonesia →

Other magnitude 6 earthquakes worldwide

All magnitude 6 earthquakes →

Questions about this earthquake

How strong was the earthquake near Pematangsiantar?

It measured magnitude 6.9 — a strong earthquake. A magnitude 6.9 earthquake radiates roughly 337,605 tons of TNT equivalent in seismic energy.

How deep was the earthquake near Pematangsiantar?

The focus was 173 km below the surface, which counts as intermediate.

Was the Pematangsiantar earthquake felt at the surface?

At magnitude 6.9 and a focal depth of 173 km, the depth spreads the energy out, so shaking is weaker overhead but reaches further.

When did the earthquake near Pematangsiantar happen?

15 August 2026 at 10:54 UTC.

Was there a tsunami?

No. The USGS record carries no tsunami-information link for this event.

Have there been aftershocks?

No further earthquakes have been recorded within about 150 km of the epicentre in the seven days after this event.

How often do earthquakes happen near Pematangsiantar?

23 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.