July 14, 1855 Earthquake: Ternate Island, Maluku, Indonesia
An earthquake struck Ternate Island, Maluku, Indonesia on July 14, 1855. It killed 34 people.
Map
Where it struck, with the other significant earthquakes within 200 km. Circles are sized and colored by magnitude; select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Date
- July 14, 1855
- Place
- Ternate Island, Maluku, Indonesia
- Intensity
- 9 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 0.800° N, 127.300° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 34
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 1
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100)
Where the literature gives no number, NCEI records a description on a scale of 1 to 4, printed here in its words. Damage is in millions of US dollars of the year of the event, not adjusted for inflation.
What the record says
NCEI’s account, from the sources it cites.
1854, July 14. Intensity VIII-IX. Ternate: Maluku - a strong
earthquake occurred. Severe damage to buildings; one house
collapse and 34 people were killed. (reference #1188)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- January 21, 1994, Kau, Indonesia
- July 14, 2019, N, Molucca Islands, Indonesia
- May 14, 1932, Kakas,langowan,poso,tondano, Sulawesi, Indonesia
- January 21, 2007, N, Molucca Islands, Indonesia
- April 1, 2026, North Maluku, North Sulawesi, Indonesia
- November 14, 2019, N, Molucca Islands, Indonesia
- February 14, 1840, Ternate Island, Maluku, Indonesia
- September 27, 1854, Ternate Island, Maluku, Indonesia
- June 25, 1907, Djailolo Gilolo, Indonesia
- July 19, 1646, Makjan (Maklan), Maluku, Indonesia
- May 20, 1673, N. Moluccas Islands, Indonesia
- August 12, 1673, N. Moluccas Islands, Indonesia
- June 28, 1859, N. Moluccas Islands, Indonesia
- January 10, 1900, Galela (Halmahera Island), Indonesia
- August 11, 2003, Wasile, Halmahera, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1855The 1800sRecent earthquakes near hereThis day in weather history
Sources
Significant earthquakes from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, Global Historical Hazard Database, cited as NCEI/WDS, doi:10.7289/V5PN93H7. Public domain. Read 2026-09-24. NCEI earthquake 1985.