June 25, 1914 Earthquake: Sumatera, Indonesia
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)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- 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.
- October 25, 2010, Sumatra, Indonesia
- June 4, 2000, Bengkulu, Enggano, Sumatra, Indonesia
- September 12, 2007, Sumatra, Indonesia
- December 15, 1979, S Sumatera, Indonesia
- October 1, 2009, Kerinci, Southern, Sumatra, Indonesia
- September 9, 2008, Southern, Sumatra, Indonesia
- June 7, 2000, Lahat, Southern Sumatera, Indonesia
- March 18, 1818, Bengkulu, Sumatra, Indonesia
- October 10, 1896, SW. Sumatra, Java, Indonesia
- 1770, Sumatra, Indonesia
- September 25, 1931, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 18, 2022, Sumatra, Indonesia
- September 12, 2007, Sumatra, Indonesia
- January 29, 1986, S, Hahat, Muaraenim, Sumatera, Indonesia
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.