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M5.6 Depth: 10.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near North Nias, North Sumatra (Indonesia)

UTC time: 2026-04-18 20:06:50 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On April 18, 2026 at 20:06 UTC, a magnitude M5.6 earthquake occurred near North Nias, North Sumatra (Indonesia). With a focal depth of about 10 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Earthquakes of this magnitude can damage poorly built structures.

The event was recorded by Seismological Survey of Serbia. Indonesia: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 124 earthquakes, the strongest at M5.1.

Map

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 10 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 10 km
Shallow
10 km
10 km — shallower than the regional average (49.7 km)
Regional average: 49.7 km
Why depth matters

Shallow quakes release energy near the surface — shaking is felt more strongly and damage potential is higher.

Depth classes per USGS

Nearby population centers

Distances are straight-line distances from the epicenter. Population data: GeoNames.

PlaceDistanceDirectionPopulation
Lahewa25.9 kmN24'485
Gunungsitoli44.7 kmE136'707
Medan312.2 kmNE2'486'283

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Sinabung
    Distance: 257 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'460 m ·Last eruption: 2021 ·Indonesia
  • Sorikmarapi
    Distance: 263 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'145 m ·Last eruption: 1986 ·Indonesia
  • Singkut
    Distance: 271 km ·Caldera(s) ·Elevation: 2'181 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Indonesia
  • Malintang
    Distance: 281 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'988 m ·Indonesia
  • Talakmau
    Distance: 329 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'911 m ·Indonesia
  • Tandikat-Singgalang
    Distance: 387 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 2'879 m ·Last eruption: 1924 ·Indonesia

Subsequent earthquakes nearby

Events recorded after this earthquake within 150 km. They are not automatically classified as aftershocks.

First 6 hours13
First 24 hours14
First 72 hours17
Strongest subsequent eventM5.9
M5.72026-04-18 20:06:51 UTC9.6 kmLauru I Afulu M5.42026-04-18 20:06:51 UTC21.0 kmFadoro Hilihambawa M5.62026-04-18 20:06:51 UTC12.1 kmAfulu M5.92026-04-18 20:06:53 UTC19.8 kmLukhulase M3.72026-04-18 20:25:24 UTC24.6 kmNias Utara M2.62026-04-18 20:32:16 UTC16.4 kmNias Utara M3.62026-04-18 20:50:57 UTC21.9 kmNias Utara M2.52026-04-18 21:27:59 UTC4.6 km M3.02026-04-18 21:33:38 UTC28.7 km M2.72026-04-18 23:02:51 UTC19.0 km M4.32026-04-19 00:01:50 UTC28.5 km70 km W of Gunungsitoli, Indonesia M4.22026-04-19 00:01:50 UTC21.5 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#7
Earlier events M≥442
Earlier events M≥510
Compared since2025-01-03

The QuakeMap24 comparison dataset begins on 2024-03-23. Earlier earthquakes may not be included.

Strongest earlier events

M6.12026-03-03 04:56:45 UTC120.4 kmTeupah Selatan M6.12026-03-03 04:56:47 UTC108.7 kmAceh M6.02025-08-23 12:24:55 UTC121.2 kmNorthern Sumatera, Indonesia [Sea: Indonesia] M5.82025-08-23 12:24:53 UTC120.0 km54 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia M5.82025-04-07 19:49:20 UTC109.7 km64 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia

Historic earthquake map · Indonesia

Open history map
Explore recent and long-term earthquake activity in this country. Use filters to narrow down by magnitude, depth, and date range.

Country statistics · Indonesia

Country overview
View earthquake KPIs, strongest and latest events, and averages for this country.

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