Strong earthquake · August 15, 2026

M 6.9 Earthquake, 9 km WNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia

A magnitude 6.9 (mww) earthquake struck 9 km WNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia on August 15, 2026 at 10:54 UTC, at a depth of about 175 km (109 mi), according to the USGS. 44 people sent "Did You Feel It?" reports. The USGS PAGER alert level is green.

Updated Aug 22, 2026, 8:01 AM EDT (USGS snapshot)

M 6.9 mww PAGER Green Reviewed by a seismologist

This is not an early-warning system. For tsunami warnings see tsunami.gov; for emergencies follow local authorities.

Event details
Magnitude6.9 mww (Strong)
Time (UTC)
U.S. Eastern TimeAug 15, 2026, 6:54 AM EDT
Location9 km WNW of Pematangsiantar, Indonesia
Coordinates2.986° N, 98.985° E
Depth175.0 km (108.7 mi), intermediate
Felt reports44 "Did You Feel It?" responses · max reported intensity 4.3
ShakeMap intensityMMI 5.3 (estimated maximum)
Tsunami flagNo
PAGER alertGreen
USGS event IDus6000tkyk

Source: USGS Earthquake Hazards Program, event us6000tkyk. Last updated by the USGS Aug 22, 2026, 12:01:46 UTC.

What the numbers mean

Tsunami flag
The USGS sets this flag for large events in oceanic regions. It does not mean a tsunami happened or will happen. Official tsunami warnings come from the NOAA Tsunami Warning Centers at tsunami.gov.
PAGER alert
An automatic USGS estimate of likely fatalities and economic losses: green (little or none), yellow, orange, or red (highest). It can change as more data arrives.
Felt reports
People who felt shaking can describe it through the USGS "Did You Feel It?" survey on the event page. The count grows for hours or days after an event.
Local time
The local time at the epicenter is not shown because the area spans more than one time zone or is offshore.

Other recent earthquakes within 300 km

Nearby events from the past 30 days (M 4.5+), past 7 days (M 2.5+), and past year (M 6+)
MagnitudeLocationTimeDepth
M 6.262 km SE of Sinabang, Indonesia PAGER green
172 days ago
18.0 km

After an earthquake

Expect aftershocks. If you are near the coast and feel strong or long shaking, move to high ground right away without waiting for an official warning. Check on neighbors and follow instructions from local emergency officials.

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