September 9, 1936 Earthquake: Tapanuli, Karo, N Sumatera, Indonesia
An earthquake struck Tapanuli, Karo, N Sumatera, Indonesia on September 9, 1936. It killed 17 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
- September 9, 1936
- Place
- Tapanuli, Karo, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 3.500° N, 97.500° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 17
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
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.
1936, September 9. 3.5 N, 97.5 E. Intensity VIII. Tapanuli: North Sumatera - the quake caused minor damage at
Medan and it was felt as far east as Malaysia. The most
destructive effects of the quake were confined to the Karo
region; 17 people were killed due to landslides in the
hills. Numerous cracks appeared in the ground between Katacane and Kabanjahe. A certain amount of damage at Parapat, Brastagi, and Tanjung Putri. Cracks developed in walls at Langkat. (reference #1188)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 26, 2004, Off West Coast, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
- March 28, 2005, SW, Sumatera, Indonesia
- July 2, 2013, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
- September 5, 2011, Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 2, 2002, Simeulue, Sumatera, Indonesia
- February 20, 2008, Aceh Province, Sumatera, Indonesia
- November 15, 1990, N Sumatera, Blangkejeren, Kutacane, Indonesia
- July 25, 2012, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
- March 28, 2006, Tapaktuan, N. Sumatra, Indonesia
- February 24, 1982, Northern Sumatera, Indonesia
- April 6, 2010, Sumatra, Indonesia
- August 20, 1997, N. Sumatera, Aceh, Banda Aceh, Medan, Indonesia
- May 9, 2010, Simeulue Island, N. Sumatra, Indonesia
- July 5, 2005, Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1936The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1936Recent 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 3583.