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M5.6 Depth: 20.0 km

M5.6 Earthquake near Afulu, Sumatera Utara (Indonesia)

UTC time: 2026-04-18 20:06:51 UTC Local time: —

About this earthquake

On April 18, 2026 at 20:06 UTC, a magnitude M5.6 earthquake occurred near Afulu, Sumatera Utara (Indonesia). With a focal depth of about 20 km, this was a shallow earthquake, whose shaking is usually felt more strongly at the surface. Events of this size can cause damage near the epicenter.

The data is provided by EMSC and cross-checked across seismological networks. Indonesia: over the past 24 hours, QuakeMap24 logged 124 earthquakes, the strongest at M5.1.

Details

Magnitude
M5.6
Depth
20.0 km
UTC time
2026-04-18 20:06:51 UTC
Local time
—
Country
Indonesia
State
Sumatera Utara
City
Afulu
County
Nias Utara
Village
Afulu
Source
emsc
Coordinates
1.27490, 97.25770
Temperature
24.3°C

Map

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 (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
Lahewa16.6 kmNW24'485
Gunungsitoli39.7 kmE136'707
Medan300.6 kmNE2'486'283

GeoNames · CC BY 4.0

Volcanoes nearby

  • Sinabung
    Distance: 246 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'460 m ·Last eruption: 2021 ·Indonesia
  • Singkut
    Distance: 259 km ·Caldera(s) ·Elevation: 2'181 m ·Last eruption: 1881 ·Indonesia
  • Sorikmarapi
    Distance: 262 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 2'145 m ·Last eruption: 1986 ·Indonesia
  • Malintang
    Distance: 282 km ·Stratovolcano ·Elevation: 1'988 m ·Indonesia
  • Talakmau
    Distance: 331 km ·Complex ·Elevation: 2'911 m ·Indonesia
  • Tandikat-Singgalang
    Distance: 390 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 hours10
First 24 hours11
First 72 hours14
Strongest subsequent eventM5.9
M5.92026-04-18 20:06:53 UTC9.5 kmLukhulase M3.72026-04-18 20:25:24 UTC30.8 kmNias Utara M2.62026-04-18 20:32:16 UTC28.3 kmNias Utara M3.62026-04-18 20:50:57 UTC31.7 kmNias Utara M2.52026-04-18 21:27:59 UTC16.2 km M3.02026-04-18 21:33:38 UTC38.8 km M2.72026-04-18 23:02:51 UTC23.5 km M4.32026-04-19 00:01:50 UTC31.3 km70 km W of Gunungsitoli, Indonesia M4.22026-04-19 00:01:50 UTC23.4 km M4.32026-04-19 00:04:18 UTC21.4 km M2.62026-04-19 04:24:57 UTC12.5 km M2.72026-04-19 22:20:36 UTC133.0 km

Historical context nearby

Comparison with recorded earthquakes before this event within 150 km.

Magnitude rank#8
Earlier events M≥443
Earlier events M≥511
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 UTC112.5 kmTeupah Selatan M6.12026-03-03 04:56:47 UTC100.2 kmAceh M6.02025-08-23 12:24:55 UTC112.2 kmNorthern Sumatera, Indonesia [Sea: Indonesia] M5.92026-04-18 20:06:50 UTC6.2 kmLauru Fadoro M5.82025-08-23 12:24:53 UTC111.7 km54 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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