M4.8 earthquake Banda Sea

A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck in the Banda Sea on Wed, Mar 20, 1985, 12:30 PM GMT+8 (04:30 UTC), 207 km (129 mi) below the surface.

A larger quake followed: M5.2 275 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste. This one was a foreshock.

Map

Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.

No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.

Reviewed by a seismologist.

Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.

Within 100 km, magnitude 1.8 and up: 9 in the 60 days after this one and 6 in the 30 days before it.

From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0002d25. Read Mon, Sep 28, 2026, 2:39 AM UTC.