A significant MAG-5.1 foreshock struck under land 23 kilometer from Padangsidempuan in Indonesia in the evening of Friday September 4th, 2026.
Felt the earthquake? Share this article: 
Earthquake Summary
The earthquake struck on land in Indonesia, 23 kilometer (14 mi) west of Padangsidempuan in North Sumatra. The center of this earthquake had an intermediate depth of 122 km.
| Date and Time: | Sep 4, 2026 23:24 (Jakarta Time) - Sep 4, 2026 16:24 Universal Time. |
|---|---|
| Location: | 23 km west of Padangsidempuan, North Sumatra, Indonesia. Coordinates 1°18'6"N 99°4'42"E. |
| Map: |  Map of area around epicenter. Click to open in Google Maps. |
| Magnitude: | MAG 5.1 Detected by 87 stations. Maximum Error Range ±0.061 . |
| Depth: | 122 km (76 mi) An intermediate depth. |
| Tsunami Risk: | Tsunami very unlikely Tsunami's are usually caused by MAG-6.5+ earthquakes, less than 100km shallow, and with an epicenter under sea. Neither of this seems to be the case. Always stay cautious - More info here. |
Nearby towns and cities
This earthquake may have been felt in Indonesia . The closest significant population center near the earthquake is Padangsidempuan in North Sumatra, Indonesia. Padangsidempuan is located 23 kilometer (14 mi) west of the epicenter.
Multiple major population centers exist within 300km of the earthquake that struck today. Medan is located 258 km to the north. Padangsidempuan is located 23 km to the east. Padang is located 288 km to the south-east.
The table below provides an overview of all places in proximity of today's earthquake.
Overview of nearby places
| Distance | Place |
|---|---|
| 23 km (14 mi) E from epicenter |
Padangsidempuan North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 59 km (37 mi) NW from epicenter |
Sibolga North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 112 km (70 mi) NE from epicenter |
Bandar North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 122 km (76 mi) NE from epicenter |
Rantauprapat North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 180 km (112 mi) NW from epicenter |
Singkil Aceh, Indonesia. |
| 184 km (114 mi) N from epicenter |
Pematangsiantar North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 188 km (117 mi) N from epicenter |
Tongging North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 196 km (122 mi) N from epicenter |
Kisaran North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 202 km (126 mi) N from epicenter |
Pekan Bahapal North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 202 km (126 mi) NE from epicenter |
Tanjungbalai North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 206 km (128 mi) NE from epicenter |
Teluk Nibung North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 210 km (130 mi) N from epicenter |
Kabanjahe North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 220 km (137 mi) N from epicenter |
Berastagi North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 226 km (140 mi) N from epicenter |
Tebingtinggi North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 230 km (143 mi) SE from epicenter |
Bukittinggi West Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 242 km (150 mi) SE from epicenter |
Payakumbuh West Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 243 km (151 mi) SE from epicenter |
Pariaman West Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 247 km (153 mi) E from epicenter |
Balai Pungut Riau, Indonesia. |
| 249 km (155 mi) N from epicenter |
Deli Tua North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 252 km (157 mi) N from epicenter |
Perbaungan North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 258 km (160 mi) N from epicenter |
Sunggal North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 258 km (160 mi) N from epicenter |
Medan North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 259 km (161 mi) N from epicenter |
Percut North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 264 km (164 mi) N from epicenter |
Binjai North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 266 km (165 mi) E from epicenter |
Dumai Riau, Indonesia. |
| 273 km (170 mi) N from epicenter |
Labuhan Deli North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 277 km (172 mi) E from epicenter |
Pekanbaru Riau, Indonesia. |
| 279 km (173 mi) N from epicenter |
Belawan North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 279 km (173 mi) N from epicenter |
Stabat North Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 288 km (179 mi) SE from epicenter |
Padang West Sumatra, Indonesia. |
| 292 km (181 mi) SE from epicenter |
Solok West Sumatra, Indonesia. |
This is likely a foreshock
This earthquake was followed by a stronger MAG-5.2 earthquake, classifying this earthquake as a foreshock.
Overview of foreshocks and aftershocks
| Classification | Magnitude | When | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Foreshock This Earthquake |
M 5.1 |
22 hrs earlier Sep 4, 2026 23:24 (Jakarta Time) | 59 km (37 mi) NE from Main Shock. |
| Main Shock | M 5.2 |
Sep 5, 2026 21:06 (Jakarta Time) | - |
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. This is the strongest earthquake to hit since August 18th, 2026, when a 5.6 magnitude earthquake hit 221 km (138 mi) further south. An even stronger magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck on April 24th, 2023.
In total, 56 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 2 months.
Tsunami very unlikely
It is very unlikely that this eartquake will cause any tsunami's. The reported magnitude is lower than the MAG-6.5 strength required to cause any earthquakes. In addition, this earthquake was not very shallow and appears to have occurred under land. 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 | This earthquake appears to have struck on land near a coastal area (25 km from the sea). | Not this earthquake. This earthquake had a magnitude of 5.1. Earthquakes of this strength are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Not this earthquake. This earthquake occurred at a depth of 122 km (76 mi). Earthquakes this deep in the earth are unlikely to trigger a tsunami. |
Sources
Last updated 30/09/26 02:48 (). This article is automatically generated based on available data. We keep checking multiple sources for additional information. This article gets updated as new details on this earthquake become available.
- US Geographic Society (USGS): Earthquake us7000teck
- European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC): Earthquake 20260904_0000236
- Geonames.org: World Cities Database
- Google Maps: Static API
- Earthquakelist.org: Historic Earthquakes Database
Share this article:
