Significant M5.3 Earthquake struck on Wednesday Morning 176km from Jayapura in Indonesia.

Written by Earthquakelist.org on September 2nd, 2026. Last updated September 22nd, 2026.

In the morning of Wednesday September 2nd, 2026, a significant Magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit under land 176 kilometer from Jayapura in Indonesia. Shaking may have been felt by a total of 2.6 million people.

Earthquake Summary

The earthquake struck on land in Indonesia, 176 kilometer (109 mi) southwest of Jayapura in Papua. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 71 km.

Date and Time:	Sep 2, 2026 09:04 (Jayapura Time) - Sep 2, 2026 00:04 Universal Time.
Location:	176 km SW of Jayapura, Papua, Indonesia. Coordinates 3°13'26"S 139°17'21"E.
Map:	Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps.
Magnitude:	MAG 5.3 Detected by 9 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.103 .
Depth:	71 km (44 mi) An intermediate depth.
Max. Intensity:	V Moderate On the Modified Mercalli Scale.
Tsunami Risk:	Tsunami very unlikely While this was a shallow earthquake, it appears to have occurred under land with a magnitude not strong enough to cause tsunami's. 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 2.6 million people exposed to shaking

The USGS has published a report estimating the number of people exposed to this earthquake. Acoording to their analysis, roughly 2.6 million have been exposed to shaking at an MMI level of II or higher.

Light shaking and likely no damage may have been experienced by an estimated 188,300 people. At IV, it is the highest MMI level this earthquake has caused. Intensity level III was experienced by the majority of people (around 1.9 million). In their region, weak shaking and probably no damage can be expected.

People in 2 countries have been exposed to shaking. Roughly 2.5 million people were exposed to shaking in Indonesia , with level IV (light shaking, likely no damage) as the highest recorded. Shaking was experienced by inhabitants of Papua New Guinea too.

People	MMI Level	Shaking	Damage
0	I	Not noticable	None
446,800	II	Very weak	None
1,921,000	III	Weak	Probably none
188,300	IV	Light	Likely none
0	V	Moderate	Very light
0	VI	Strong	Light
0	VII	Very Strong	Moderate
0	VIII	Severe	Moderate to heavy
0	IX	Violent	Heavy
0	X	Extreme	Very heavy

Nearby towns and cities

This earthquake may have been felt in Indonesia . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Abepura in Papua, Indonesia. Abepura is located 165 kilometer (103 mi) southwest of the epicenter. The intensity of shaking and damage in Abepura is estimated to be around level III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale (weak shaking, probably no damage).

Overview of nearby places

Cities and Towns around the epicenter of this earthquake.
Distance	Place	Intensity (MMI)
165 km (103 mi) NE from epicenter	Abepura Papua, Indonesia.	III Weak
176 km (109 mi) NE from epicenter	Jayapura Papua, Indonesia.	II Weak

Earthquake Intensity Map

The maximum intensity (MMI Scale) caused by this earthquake is IV. 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

Earthquake Intensity Map based on Shakemap Data provided by USGS.

Aftershocks detected

After this earthquake struck, 1 smaller aftershock occurred. Just 11 hrs after this main shock, an earthquake measuring MAG-4 was detected 96 km (60 mi) north of this earthquake.

This main shock was prefaced by 1 smaller foreshock. A 4.3 magnitude earthquake hit 2 days earlier nearby.

Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks

Detected MAG2.5+ earthquakes within within 100km (62 mi), that occurred in the three days before and after the main shock.
Classification	Magnitude	When	Where
Foreshock	M 4.3	2 days earlier Aug 31, 2026 04:57 (Jayapura Time)	94 km (58 mi) NW from Main Shock.
Main Shock This Earthquake	M 5.3	Sep 2, 2026 09:04 (Jayapura Time)	-
Aftershock	M 4.0	11 hrs later Sep 2, 2026 19:45 (Jayapura Time)	96 km (60 mi) N 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.

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

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. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since July 30th, 2026, when a 5.4 magnitude earthquake hit 84 km (52 mi) further northwest. An even stronger magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck on October 16th, 2025.

In total, 62 earthquakes with a magnitude of 5.3 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 2 months.

Tsunami very unlikely

DISCLAIMER: We strongly suggest to closely monitor advice from local authorities with regards to tsunami risks. Our analysis is based on automatically collected data from external sources, and these might contain mistakes. In addition, earthquakes can cause landslides that may lead to a tsunami, or be a followed by another, potentially stonger, earthquake.

While MAG-6.5+ earthquakes may cause tsunami's, it appears that the epicenter of this earthquake hit under land. In addition, the reported depth is deeper than 100km, making the risk of a tsunami even less likely. However always 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	Not this earthquake. This earthquake appears to have struck on land far from any coast.	Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.3. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami.	This earthquake occurred at a depth of of 71 km (44 mi). Earthquakes this shallow could trigger a tsunami.

Sources

Last updated 22/09/26 01:48 (). 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.