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Country profile · USGS ComCat

Earthquakes in Indonesia

Indonesia has catalogued 37,915 M4+ earthquakes since 2005 (ranked 1st of 187 countries), with the strongest reaching magnitude M8.6.

Indonesia ranks 1st of 187 countries by catalogued seismic activity - among the most seismically active nations on Earth, averaging about 1,805 M4+ events a year alongside 1,281 significant M6+ earthquakes since 1900. 4 of those major events reached M8 or greater, the catalogue's top magnitude class.

37,915
M4+ events (since 2005)
1,281
Major M6+ (since 1900)
M8.6
Strongest
~1,805
M4+ per year

The verdict

Indonesia is among the most seismically active places on Earth, with 37,915 M4+ earthquakes logged since 2005 and 1,281 major M6+ events since 1900, the strongest reaching magnitude 8.6.

2007
busiest year (33 major events)
59 km
average recorded event depth
88%
of events are shallow (<70 km, the most damaging kind)

Average catalogued magnitude is 4.5 - most events are moderate M4-5 tremors that are felt but rarely cause damage. Indonesia tops the tracked set; the next step down is Japan at 27,995 M4+ events.

Follow Indonesia events (RSS)

USGS event tape strip

Event tape INDONESIA · Indonesia M4+ · 1st/187

Indonesia · 37,915 M4+ · max M8.6 · 1,281 M6+

  • BAND 37,915
  • STRIP 1st/187
  • BOOK M8.6
  • RANK 1,281
  • MAX near Japan
  • M6 88% shallow

Stamps derive from this country's USGS ComCat row (M4+ book, rank, peak magnitude, M6+ record, ladder neighbour, depth/peak year), not a hazard forecast. PlainQuake is informational only - not professional advice and not a substitute for official USGS guidance. See our disclaimer. Verify with USGS ComCat → · Read with methodology → · How earthquakes are measured → · Reading earthquake data → · All country catalog rows → · Countries ranked →

Observed impact record

What ComCat observed after earthquakes in Indonesia

USGS recorded Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) for 840 events in this catalogued record; their average observed intensity was MMI 5.7. These are only events with an observation, not an estimate of future shaking or a safety rating.

MMI observations
840
Average observed MMI
5.7
PAGER alerts / tsunami flags
152 / 18

Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) GeoJSON impact fields. Missing MMI, alert, and tsunami values remain unreported rather than being treated as zero.

1. Chile13,8882. Philippines14,4203. Papua New Gu…15,7144. United States17,3535. Japan27,9956. Indonesia37,915
M4+ catalog count for Indonesia and nearest-count peers. Source: USGS ComCat, 2005–present.

Where Indonesia sits in the catalog

Rank 1st of 187 tracked countries (99th percentile by M4+ count since 2005). Indonesia tops the tracked set; the next step down is Japan at 27,995 M4+ events.

  • Japan - next less active (27,995 M4+)

Indonesia's M4+ count vs. every tracked country

Total catalogued M4+ events since 2005, USGS ComCat

37,915 Top 1% higher than 99% of 187 countries

0–500: 143 countries (76%). Below this entry. 500–1,000: 11 countries (6%). Below this entry. 1,000–1,500: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 1,500–2,000: 5 countries (3%). Below this entry. 2,000–2,500: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 2,500–3,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,000–3,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 3,500–4,000: 1 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,000–4,500: 2 countries (1%). Below this entry. 4,500–5,000: 4 countries (2%). Below this entry. 5,000–5,500: 12 countries (6%). This entry sits in this band. Indonesia 0 5,000+ every tracked country, bucketed by value

Each bar is a 500-wide band; taller bars hold more countries. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) · 2005-present

Major (M6+) earthquakes in Indonesia by year

Count of significant (magnitude 6.0+) events catalogued each year

Value

What this shows Indonesia's most active year for major earthquakes was 2007 (33 M6+ events). Major-quake counts are irregular, they track the episodic release of tectonic stress, not a smooth trend.

Source USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat) As of 2005–present

How Indonesia earthquake activity changed recently

Year M4+ events YoY change Global YoY
2026 9 0.0% -43.9%
2025 9 +50.0% +29.3%
2024 6 -60.0% -12.6%
2023 15 +36.4% +3.0%
2022 11 -21.4% -8.9%

Indonesia's M4+ activity rose faster than the global average in 2026: 0.0% locally vs -43.9% globally, a 43.9-point gap.

Source: USGS Comprehensive Earthquake Catalog (ComCat). M4+ = magnitude 4.0 or greater. YoY = year-on-year change. Global column uses the worldwide total from the same catalog.

0%100%0.9%
Share of Indonesia's M4+ catalog that reached significant M6+ severity

326 of 37,915 catalogued M4+ events since 2005 reached M6.0 or higher.

Magnitude distribution of major events

Breakdown of the 1,281 significant (M6+) earthquakes on record for Indonesia.

How the 1,281 total breaks down by magnitude M6.0-6.9 is the largest share -- 88.8%

M8+

4

0.3%

M7.0-7.9

139

10.9%

M6.0-6.9

1,138

88.8%

Depth of major earthquakes

Hypocentral depth of the 1,281 M6+ events, shallow quakes shake the surface hardest. Average depth: 59 km.

Indonesia87.5%8.4%Shallow (<70 km)Intermediate (70-300 km)Deep (>300 km)
Depth distribution of Indonesia's M6+ events, USGS ComCat

Shallow (<70 km)

1,121

87.5% of events

Intermediate (70–300 km)

107

8.4% of events

Deep (>300 km)

53

4.1% of events

Strongest earthquakes in Indonesia

The 10 most powerful events on record (USGS, since 1900).

Mag Location Depth
8.6 78 km WSW of Singkil, Indonesia 30.0 km
8.4 122 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 34.0 km
8.3 1977 Sumba, Indonesia Earthquake 15.9 km
8.1 1996 Biak, Indonesia Earthquake 33.0 km
7.9 87 km SW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia 35.0 km
7.9 103 km S of Bengkulu, Indonesia 33.0 km
7.9 169 km NNE of Maumere, Indonesia 587.3 km
7.9 181 km N of Palu, Indonesia 24.0 km
7.9 55 km S of Biak, Indonesia 5.0 km
7.8 230 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 35.0 km

Significant earthquake record (1,281 events)

Every catalogued magnitude-6.0-and-above earthquake in Indonesia since 1900, most recent first.

Mag Location Depth
6.9 9 km WNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia 175.0 km
6.1 58 km N of Ende, Indonesia 10.0 km
7.7 68 km NNW of Ende, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.2 61 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia 107.0 km
6.7 40 km SE of Palu, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.2 268 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia 137.0 km
6.3 109 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia 28.0 km
7.4 129 km ESE of Bitung, Indonesia 35.0 km
6.2 62 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.4 54 km WNW of Sinabang, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.4 192 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.0 31 km ESE of Kalianget, Indonesia 19.5 km
6.0 26 km S of Nabire, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.3 195 km WNW of Abepura, Indonesia 14.0 km
6.4 264 km WNW of Sabang, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.3 109 km W of Gorontalo, Indonesia 142.0 km
6.7 180 km WSW of Tual, Indonesia 70.7 km
6.1 45 km E of Modisi, Indonesia 21.7 km
6.1 260 km ESE of Baubau, Indonesia 576.0 km
6.0 67 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia 143.0 km
6.1 154 km WSW of Fakfak, Indonesia 16.0 km
6.1 91 km S of Banjar, Indonesia 59.7 km
6.4 150 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 22.0 km
6.4 110 km N of Paciran, Indonesia 9.5 km
6.3 146 km WSW of Abepura, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.0 91 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia 102.0 km
6.1 20 km NE of Kupang, Indonesia 51.0 km
6.0 38 km NNE of Ternate, Indonesia 151.0 km
6.0 101 km N of Palu, Indonesia 13.0 km
7.1 180 km NNE of Gili Air, Indonesia 500.0 km
7.1 171 km SSE of Teluk Dalam, Indonesia 34.0 km
7.0 Java, Indonesia 597.0 km
6.1 77 km SW of Padangsidempuan, Indonesia 84.0 km
6.3 172 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia 92.0 km
6.1 130 km SSW of Tual, Indonesia 39.7 km
7.0 156 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 29.7 km
6.0 62 km SSE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 154.0 km
6.1 40 km SE of Singkil, Indonesia 37.0 km
7.6 Pulau Pulau Tanimbar, Indonesia 105.0 km
6.9 204 km SW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 25.0 km
6.2 37 km SSW of Meulaboh, Indonesia 42.2 km
6.0 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.2 260 km ESE of Biak, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.2 Papua, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.2 173 km WSW of Pariaman, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.2 119 km S of Pagar Alam, Indonesia 45.3 km
6.7 166 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.1 65 km NNW of Bukittinggi, Indonesia 4.0 km
6.6 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.0 284 km E of Katabu, Indonesia 544.0 km
6.0 261 km N of Tobelo, Indonesia 149.0 km
6.0 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.0 150 km ESE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 34.0 km
6.0 253 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 8.0 km
6.0 182 km NE of Tual, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.3 99 km WNW of Luwuk, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.1 215 km NW of Tobelo, Indonesia 44.3 km
6.2 132 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.7 260 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 11.0 km
6.1 254 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 9.0 km
6.0 45 km S of Sumberpucung, Indonesia 67.0 km
6.3 219 km SSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.2 32 km S of Mamuju, Indonesia 18.0 km
6.1 53 km SSW of Gorontalo, Indonesia 148.0 km
6.0 222 km SSW of Padang, Indonesia 19.0 km
6.9 222 km SSE of Katabu, Indonesia 624.0 km
6.9 122 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.8 138 km WSW of Bengkulu, Indonesia 22.0 km
6.0 97 km SE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 109.0 km
6.4 133 km NNE of Tobelo, Indonesia 112.9 km
6.0 124 km WNW of Ternate, Indonesia 42.0 km
6.2 249 km S of Nusa Dua, Indonesia 20.7 km
6.0 273 km SW of Tual, Indonesia 54.0 km
6.2 113 km NNE of Bangkalan, Indonesia 592.4 km
6.1 108 km SE of Gorontalo, Indonesia 121.7 km
6.0 146 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 44.0 km
6.3 14 km S of Sinabang, Indonesia 17.0 km
6.0 135 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 23.0 km
7.1 141 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 33.0 km
6.5 33 km NE of Ambon, Indonesia 12.3 km
6.1 81 km NNE of Lasem, Indonesia 610.0 km
6.9 152 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia 49.0 km
7.2 155 km SSE of Sofifi, Indonesia 19.0 km
6.9 136 km WSW of Ternate, Indonesia 35.0 km
6.1 230 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 28.0 km
6.3 244 km W of Abepura, Indonesia 10.0 km
6.8 Sulawesi, Indonesia 15.5 km
6.1 146 km NW of Ternate, Indonesia 45.0 km
6.0 170 km WSW of Sungai Penuh, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.3 160 km WSW of Waingapu, Indonesia 24.0 km
6.0 142 km WSW of Waingapu, Indonesia 26.0 km
6.1 153 km SSW of Abepura, Indonesia 62.0 km
6.0 49 km NE of Panji, Indonesia 9.0 km
6.0 99 km S of Waingapu, Indonesia 29.0 km
7.5 72 km N of Palu, Indonesia 20.0 km
6.1 57 km NNW of Palu, Indonesia 5.0 km
6.2 92 km SE of Kupang, Indonesia 14.0 km
6.9 20 km NNW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 21.0 km
6.3 19 km NNW of Labuan Lombok, Indonesia 16.0 km
6.5 124 km N of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia 529.0 km

Showing the first 100 of 1,281 significant events.

Other countries in this catalog sample

A Indonesia-keyed shuffle of the full 186-country roster, not the six nearest by count.

Saint Helena

185 M4+ events · strongest M6.0

M6.0

Grenada

19 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Serbia

18 M4+ events · strongest M5.5

M5.5

Congo-Uganda

2 M4+ events · strongest M4.7

M4.7

Syria

39 M4+ events · strongest M5.2

M5.2

Saint Eustatius and Saba

19 M4+ events · strongest M5.0

M5.0

Peak-magnitude sample from the same roster

A second Indonesia-keyed shuffle of countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Showing 6 of 186 countries with a recorded max magnitude.

Papua New Guinea

15,714 M4+ events

M7.9

Philippines

14,420 M4+ events

M7.8

Iran

3,577 M4+ events

M7.7

Nepal

696 M4+ events

M7.8

Fiji

4,530 M4+ events

M7.9

Vanuatu

7,620 M4+ events

M7.8

According to the US Geological Survey Earthquake Hazards Program, PlainQuake's figures are rendered directly from 317,293 recorded M4+ earthquakes and 14,444 significant M6+ events (USGS ComCat, 2005-present) -- no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-08-26.