March 16, 1961 Earthquake: Endeh, Flores, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Endeh, Flores, Indonesia on March 16, 1961 at 13:45:35 UTC, 74 km below the surface. It killed 2 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
- March 16, 1961
- Time
- 13:45:35 UTC
- Place
- Endeh, Flores, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 74 km (46 mi)
- Intensity
- 8 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 8.200° S, 122.000° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 6
- 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.
1961, March 16, 13:45:35.6 UTC. 8.2 S, 122 E, depth 74 km. magnitude 6.5 MS. Strong earthquake near the island of Flores; a few victims and damage at Ende; the town of Ende was reported 80% destroyed and the Amburombu volcano nearby started smoking ("Seismological Notes", Bull. Seismol. Soc. Amer., 1961); several aftershocks. (reference #1040)
1961, March 16, 13:45:35.6 UTC. 8.2 S, 122 E. Flores Sea. 2 killed, 6 injured and major property damage at Endeh. Depth about 74 km, magnitude 6.5 MS. (reference #45)
1961, March 16, 18h 21m 04s UTC. 8.1 S, 122.3 E. Intensity VII-VIII. Flores: East Nusatenggara - damage in most villages in Central Flores; one person killed. (reference #1188)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 12, 1992, Flores Region, Maumere, Babi, Indonesia
- August 14, 2026, Flores Region, Indonesia
- December 25, 1982, Eastern, Flores Island, Indonesia
- March 25, 2003, Reo, Flores, Indonesia
- December 14, 2021, Flores Region, Indonesia
- August 6, 1982, Ruteng, Flores Islands, Indonesia
- April 23, 2004, Kupang, Timor, Indonesia
- December 5, 2003, Flores, Ruteng, Indonesia
- March 22, 1944, Flores, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1961The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1961Recent 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 4240.