Unusually powerful M6.9 Earthquake hit near Pematangsiantar in Indonesia on Saturday Afternoon.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on August 15th, 2026. Last updated August 16th, 2026.

An unusually powerful M6.9 earthquake struck under land 15 kilometer from Pematangsiantar in Indonesia in the late afternoon of Saturday August 15th, 2026. The earthquake struck near a very densely populated region. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 16 million people. Malaysia is also near its epicenter.

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Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Indonesia, 15 kilometer (9 mi) northwest of Pematangsiantar in North Sumatra. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 173 km.

Date and Time:	Aug 15, 2026 17:54 (Jakarta Time) - Aug 15, 2026 10:54 Universal Time.
Location:	15 km NW of Pematangsiantar, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Coordinates 3°5'8"N 99°0'54"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 6.9 Detected by 59 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.04 .
Depth:	173 km (107 mi) An intermediate depth.
Max. Intensity:	VI Strong On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While a very strong earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land. Always stay cautious - More info here.

Minimal impact predicted

Based on scientific estimates by the US Geographic Survey (USGS), the risk of high fatalities for this earthquake is classified at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 fatalities.

The USGS classifies the economic impact of this earthquake at level GREEN (low). They expect an 90% likelyhood of between 0 and 1 million US Dollars in economic damage and impact.

Roughly 16 million people exposed to shaking

This earthquake may have been felt by around 16 million people. That is the expected population size of the area exposed to a level of shaking of II or higher on the Modified Mercalli scale according to the USGS.

The highest earthquake impact level for this earthquake is V, which corresponds with moderate shaking and very light damage. Roughly 11,630,000 people are expected to be exposed to this level.

People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. Roughly 16 million people were exposed to shaking in Indonesia , with level V (moderate shaking, very light damage) as the highest recorded. People were exposed to shaking in Malaysia as well.

Nearby towns and cities

Indonesia and Malaysia are both located within 300km distance of the epicenter of the earthquake. Futher away, this earthquake may also have been felt in Thailand.

Located 15 kilometer (9 mi) northwest of the epicenter of this earthquake, Pematangsiantar (North Sumatra, Indonesia) is the nearest significant population center. The intensity of shaking and damage in Pematangsiantar is estimated to be around level V on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (moderate shaking, very light damage).

Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Medan is located 68 km to the northwest and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Pematangsiantar is located 15 km to the south-east and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage). Percut is located 62 km to the north and experienced an intensity of V (moderate shaking, very light damage).

A complete list of nearby places is included below. Estimated intensity data (MMI) sourced from a shake-map published by the US Geographic Survey is shown where available (cities without data probably experienced little impact).

Overview of nearby places

Earthquake Intensity Map

The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is V. The map below shows in which areas this earthquake was the most and least impactful. It is based on data from the US Geographic Survey.

I Not felt

II Weak

III Weak

IV Light

V Moderate

VI Strong

VII Very Strong

VIII Severe

IX Violent

X Extreme

Shaking reported by 40 people in 3 countries

People that feel an earthquake may report their experience to the US Geographic Survey. Currently, 40 people have reported shaking in 21 places in 3 countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand).We keep updating this article as more ground reports become available. You may report that you felt this earthquake here.

Places with most reports:

• Georgetown, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: 9 people.
• Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia: 4 people.
• Kuah, Kedah, Malaysia: 3 people.
• Tanjong Tokong, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: 3 people.
• Sungai Ara, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: 3 people.
• Tanjong Bunga, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: 2 people.
• Padang, Sumatera Barat, Indonesia: 2 people.
• Hat Yai, Songkhla, Thailand: 1 person.
• Butterworth, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia: 1 person.
• Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia: 1 person.

Aftershocks detected

Before this earthquake struck, 1 smaller foreshock occurred. Roughly 3 days before this earthquake, a foreshock measuring MAG-2.7 was detected nearby this earthquake.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

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.

The chance that a significant earthquake like this one is followed by an even larger earthquake is not so large. On average, scientists estimate a 94% chance that a major earthquake will not be followed by an even larger one. It is still adviced to be aware of this risk

This is an unusually powerful earthquake

No earthquake of this strength has struck this region for a long time. Our data goes back 10 years, and no earthquakes measuring a magnitude of 6.9 or higher have been detected within 300 km (186 mi) of this epicenter.

Tsunami very unlikely

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit inland, 50 km away from coastal areas. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk at a tsunami even less likely. However always stay cautious and monitor advice from local authorities.

Tsunami Risk Factors

Sources

Last updated 16/08/26 00:28 (). As more information on this earthquake becomes available this article will be updated. This article is automatically composed based on data originating from multiple sources.

1. US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us6000tkyk
2. European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260815_0000371
3. Geonames.org: World Cities Database
4. Google Maps: Static API
5. Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database

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