Significant earthquakes of 1914

June 25, 1914 Earthquake: Sumatera, Indonesia

June 25, 1914 · M7.6 · 20 deaths

A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Sumatera, Indonesia on June 25, 1914 at 19:07:25 UTC, 35 km below the surface. It killed 20 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
June 25, 1914
Time
19:07:25 UTC
Place
Sumatera, Indonesia
Magnitude
7.6 (Mw)
Focal depth
35 km (22 mi)
Epicenter
3.924° S, 101.820° E
Country
Indonesia

The toll

Deaths
20
Injuries
20
Damage
Limited (under about $1 million)
Houses destroyed
Few (about 1 to 50)

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.

1914, June 26 [probably local time]. Kapayhang, Bengkulu: All stone houses suffered severe damage. None of the many wooden houses sustained damage. Twenty persons were killed and 20 injured. Roads and bridges were destroyed. Damage was also done at Lais, Manna, and Seluma. (reference #1188)

1914, June 25, 19:07:18 UTC. 4.5 S, 102.5 E. Singapore: An informant from Tanjong Rhu stated that, at 2:13 a.m. in the morning he was awakened by a sense of uncanny movement amongst the crockery. He found that all the clocks in the house had stopped at that hour. Residents at Serangoon, Tanglin and Pasir Panjang did not feel the tremor.

Note: A very severe earthquake had occurred at Bencoolen in Sumatra. Houses collapsed and there were at least 11 dead. The earthquake led to an upheaval of the sea and a ship, the "Kintuck", (4000 tons) was driven ashore on to coral reef.

(above from reference #1186)

1914, June 25, 19:06:44 UTC. 4.5 S, 99 E, shallow depth, magnitude 8.1. (reference #88)

1914, June 25, 19:07.3 UTC. 4.5 S, 102.5 E, shallow depth, magnitude 7.6. (reference #130)

1914, June 25, 19:07:18 UTC. 4.5 S, 102.5 E, 7.6 Mw P&S, 7.6 Ms AN1, 7.6 mB ABE1, 7.6 UK G&R, 8.1 UK B&D. (reference #9910)

1914, June 25, 19:07:25.91 UTC. 3.924 S, 101.82 E, depth 35 km, 7.57 Mw. (reference #10476)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1914The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1914Recent 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 3010.