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Indonesia · North Sumatra

M4.2 Earthquake near South Nias, North Sumatra (Indonesia)

UTC time: 2026-08-14 02:12:29 UTC Local time: —

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About this earthquake

On August 14, 2026 at 02:12 UTC, a magnitude M4.2 earthquake occurred near South Nias, North Sumatra (Indonesia). The hypocenter lay relatively close to the surface at around 20 km, increasing how strongly it was felt. Earthquakes of this magnitude are clearly felt; minor damage to vulnerable buildings is possible.

The event was recorded by EMSC. Indonesia: 26 earthquakes were recorded in the past 24 hours, the strongest reaching M4.5.

Details

ID
438831892c958f44d23abdf9da0709b70b3215e9
Magnitude
M4.2
Depth
20.0 km
UTC time
2026-08-14 02:12:29 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Indonesia
State
North Sumatra
City
South Nias
County
South Nias
Source
emsc
Coordinates
-0.78000, 98.20000
Temperature
26.6°C

Depth profile

Depth profile Depth: 20 km (Shallow) Surface Shallow Intermediate Deep 0 km 70 km 300 km 700 km 20 km
Shallow
20 km
20 km — shallower than the regional average (43.2 km)
Regional average: 43.2 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

Volcanoes nearby

  • Malintang
    Distance: 214 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'988 m ·Indonesia
  • Talakmau
    Distance: 220 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'911 m ·Indonesia
  • Sorikmarapi
    Distance: 221 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'145 m ·Last eruption: 1986 ·Indonesia
  • Tandikat-Singgalang
    Distance: 239 km ·Stratovolcano(es) ·Elevation: 2'879 m ·Last eruption: 1924 ·Indonesia
  • Marapi
    Distance: 257 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'885 m ·Last eruption: 2026 ·Indonesia
  • Talang
    Distance: 277 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'575 m ·Last eruption: 2007 ·Indonesia

North Sumatra

Context for this earthquake

05 Oct 2025 – 05 Oct 2026 · M ≥ 3.0 · 66 Catalogue entries

Sufficiently reliable matching data are not currently available for a direct comparison. The area profile shows the available records and their limitations.

Open seismic profile

Historic earthquake map · Indonesia

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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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