A shallow and significant Magnitude 5.1 aftershock struck in the Maluku Sea 155 kilometer from Manado, Indonesia in the afternoon of Wednesday May 27th, 2026.
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Earthquake Summary
This earthquake hit under water in the Maluku Sea, 115 kilometers (71 mi) off the coast of Indonesia, 155 kilometer south-east of Manado in North Sulawesi. The center of this earthquake had a very shallow depth of 19 km. Shallow earthquakes usually have a larger impact than earthquakes deep in the earth.
| Date and Time: | May 27, 2026 14:24 (Makassar Time) - May 27, 2026 06:24 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 155 km SE of Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia. Coordinates 0°28'15"N 125°48'38"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 68 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.069 . |
| Depth: | 19 km (12 mi) A very shallow depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Low tsunami risk Earthquakes under MAG-6.5 do not usually cause tsunami's. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Indonesia . Tondano in North Sulawesi, Indonesia is the nearest significant place from the epicenter. The earthquake occurred 136 kilometer (85 mi) south-east of Tondano.
An overview of nearby towns and cities is available in the overview below.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 136 km (85 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tondano North Sulawesi, Indonesia. |
| 146 km (91 mi) NW from epicenter |
Tomohon North Sulawesi, Indonesia. |
| 155 km (96 mi) NW from epicenter |
Manado North Sulawesi, Indonesia. |
| 179 km (111 mi) E from epicenter |
Ternate North Maluku, Indonesia. |
| 197 km (122 mi) E from epicenter |
Sofifi North Maluku, Indonesia. |
This is likely an aftershock
Approximately 1 day before this earthquake hit, a larger 5.6 magnitude earthquake struck 78 km (48 mi) north-east of this one. For that reason, we classify the Mag. 5.1 earthquake as an aftershock.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 09:46 (Makassar Time) | 8 km (5 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.7 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 10:52 (Makassar Time) | 38 km (24 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.8 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 11:26 (Makassar Time) | 32 km (20 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 12:42 (Makassar Time) | 33 km (21 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.4 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 13:06 (Makassar Time) | 89 km (55 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.9 |
3 days earlier May 23, 2026 13:34 (Makassar Time) | 10 km (6 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.8 |
2 days earlier May 23, 2026 20:20 (Makassar Time) | 41 km (25 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
2 days earlier May 23, 2026 21:30 (Makassar Time) | 11 km (7 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
2 days earlier May 23, 2026 21:31 (Makassar Time) | 51 km (32 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.6 |
2 days earlier May 23, 2026 21:38 (Makassar Time) | 16 km (10 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
2 days earlier May 23, 2026 22:41 (Makassar Time) | 12 km (8 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.1 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 02:42 (Makassar Time) | 14 km (9 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.0 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 03:49 (Makassar Time) | 13 km (8 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 06:33 (Makassar Time) | 85 km (53 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.1 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 07:43 (Makassar Time) | 39 km (24 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 09:00 (Makassar Time) | 39 km (24 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.8 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 14:03 (Makassar Time) | 49 km (31 mi) N from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
2 days earlier May 24, 2026 15:32 (Makassar Time) | 62 km (39 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
1 day earlier May 24, 2026 17:54 (Makassar Time) | 65 km (40 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.6 |
1 day earlier May 24, 2026 19:19 (Makassar Time) | 6 km (4 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.0 |
1 day earlier May 24, 2026 23:04 (Makassar Time) | 42 km (26 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 4.9 |
1 day earlier May 24, 2026 23:33 (Makassar Time) | 11 km (7 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
1 day earlier May 25, 2026 00:43 (Makassar Time) | 14 km (9 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
1 day earlier May 25, 2026 01:47 (Makassar Time) | 22 km (13 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.6 |
1 day earlier May 25, 2026 02:47 (Makassar Time) | 9 km (6 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
1 day earlier May 25, 2026 03:04 (Makassar Time) | 97 km (60 mi) S from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.3 |
14 hrs earlier May 25, 2026 14:47 (Makassar Time) | 48 km (30 mi) W from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
13 hrs earlier May 25, 2026 15:41 (Makassar Time) | 48 km (30 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 2.7 |
9 hrs earlier May 25, 2026 20:04 (Makassar Time) | 39 km (24 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.7 |
8 hrs earlier May 25, 2026 20:12 (Makassar Time) | 70 km (43 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Foreshock | M 3.2 |
8 hrs earlier May 25, 2026 20:53 (Makassar Time) | 44 km (27 mi) NW from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock | M 5.6 |
May 26, 2026 04:39 (Makassar Time) | - |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
1 hr later May 26, 2026 05:47 (Makassar Time) | 11 km (7 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
2 hrs later May 26, 2026 06:38 (Makassar Time) | 36 km (22 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
3 hrs later May 26, 2026 07:53 (Makassar Time) | 49 km (30 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.8 |
9 hrs later May 26, 2026 13:25 (Makassar Time) | 41 km (26 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
9 hrs later May 26, 2026 13:43 (Makassar Time) | 14 km (9 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 11:17 (Makassar Time) | 48 km (30 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.9 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 11:20 (Makassar Time) | 41 km (25 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.5 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 11:22 (Makassar Time) | 44 km (27 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock This Earthquake |
M 5.1 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 14:24 (Makassar Time) | 78 km (48 mi) SW from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.1 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 15:20 (Makassar Time) | 45 km (28 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
1 day later May 27, 2026 16:10 (Makassar Time) | 10 km (6 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.2 |
2 days later May 27, 2026 17:23 (Makassar Time) | 88 km (55 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 3.0 |
2 days later May 27, 2026 19:35 (Makassar Time) | 84 km (52 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.8 |
2 days later May 27, 2026 19:43 (Makassar Time) | 28 km (17 mi) E from Main Shock. |
| Aftershock | M 2.7 |
2 days later May 27, 2026 20:17 (Makassar Time) | 11 km (7 mi) SE from Main Shock. |
More earthquakes coming?
Earthquakes can create aftershocks. These are generally at least 1 magnitude lower than any main shock, and as time passes the chance and strength of aftershocks decreases.
In only six percent of cases, significant earthquakes are followed by a larger main shock, making the current earthquake a foreshock. While the chance of this happening is not so large, it is adviced to maintain cautiousness in the hours and days following a major earthquake.
Read: How to Stay Safe during an Earthquake (cdc.gov).Earthquakes like this happen often in the region
Earthquakes of this strength are very common in the region. In total, 192 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.1 or higher have been registered within 300km (186 mi) of this epicenter in the past 10 years. This comes down to an average of once every 19 days.
Low tsunami risk
Based on early data it appears this earthquake was not strong enough (lower than MAG-6.5) to be likely to cause destructive tsunami's. However this earthquake appeared to have hit at a shallow depth under sea, so stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.
Tsunami Risk Factors
| Factor | Under Sea? | MAG-6.5 or stronger? | Shallow depth? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explanation | Almost all tsunami's are caused by earthquakes with their epicenter under sea or very near the sea. However stay cautious in coastal areas as earthquakes on land may cause landslides into sea, potentially still causing a local tsunami. | Under MAG 6.5: Very unlikely to cause a tsunami. MAG 6.5 to 7.5: Destructive tsunami's do occur, but are uncommon. Likely to observe small sea level changes. MAG 7.6+: Earthquakes with these magnitudes might produce destructive tsunami's. |
Most destructive tsunami's are caused by shallow earthquakes with a depth between 0 and 100km under the surface of the earth. Deeper tsunami's are unlikely to displace to ocean floor. |
| This Earthquake | This earthquake appears to have struck under the sea. | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 19 km (12 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 27/05/26 18:38 (). This article contains currently available information about the earthquake and is automatically composed. We continue to update this article up to a few days after the earthquake occurred.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000sntr
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260527_0000097
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
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