Significant earthquakes of 1926

July 5, 1926 Earthquake: Sumatra, Indonesia

July 5, 1926 · Deaths: many

An earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on July 5, 1926.

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 5, 1926
Place
Sumatra, Indonesia
Tsunami
None recorded
Epicenter
0.300° S, 100.400° E
Country
Indonesia

The toll

Deaths
Many (about 101 to 1,000)
Damage
Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
Houses destroyed
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.

1926, July. Fort Dekock [Bukittinggi], Sumatra. An earthquake is reported to have wrecked several buildings and killed several hundred people at Fort Dekock on July 5th. (reference #3933)

Other significant earthquakes nearby

Within 200 km, the deadliest first.

More

Significant earthquakes of 1926The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1926Recent 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 7865.