M6.0 earthquake 74 km ESE of Biak, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck 74 km ESE of Biak, Indonesia on Wed, Dec 6, 1972, 6:59 AM GMT+9 (21:59 UTC), 25 km (16 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 6.0 (mw), moderate
- Local time
- UTC
- 1972-12-05 21:59:55 UTC
- Depth
- 25.0 km (15.5 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 1.499° S, 136.670° E
- Region
- Indonesia
- Strongest shaking
- V, moderate shaking
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Shaking
The USGS ShakeMap: shaking estimated from seismic stations and the quake’s size, on the Modified Mercalli intensity scale.
- Strongest estimated
- V, moderate shaking
- Peak ground acceleration
- 10.5% of gravity
- Peak ground velocity
- 1.9 cm/s
- Map
- Automatic

Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Magnitude uncertainty
- ±0.20
- Depth from
- From location
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 3.0 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 2 in the 30 days before it.
Before
Earthquakes todayIndonesia earthquakesLive radar here
Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event iscgem765720. Read Wed, Sep 30, 2026, 7:34 AM UTC.