April 4, 1983 Earthquake: Banda Aceh, Sumatera, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Banda Aceh, Sumatera, Indonesia on April 4, 1983 at 02:51:34 UTC, 79 km below the surface.
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
- April 4, 1983
- Time
- 02:51:34 UTC
- Place
- Banda Aceh, Sumatera, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.6 (mb)
- Focal depth
- 79 km (49 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 5.723° N, 94.722° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- Few (about 1 to 50)
- Injuries
- 100
- Damage
- $1 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.
Casualties and damage reported in the Banda Aceh area. (reference #1053)
Apr 04, 1983, 02h 51m 13.9s UTC, Epicentre 5.8ON-93.27OE,
Magnitude 6.6, intensity VI Depth 51 km. Banda Aceh: North Sumatera - the quake caused both serious and slight damage at Banda Aceh. The walls of school buildings collapsed and window panes were broken. Some of the Government buildings, for example the Treasure building, TV station building, one room of the University building and the telephone office building, were damaged. In Meulaboh on the west coast of Aceh one building was slanted. (reference #1188)
100 injured, $1 million damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- December 6, 2016, Pidie Jaya, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
- August 23, 1936, Banda Aceh,lhok Sukon,lhoksemawe, Indonesia
- October 22, 2013, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
- January 21, 2013, N, Sumatera, Indonesia
- March 21, 1888, Breueh Island, Sumatera, Indonesia
- June 2, 1948, Off Northwest Coast, Indonesia
- July 8, 1922, Lhoknga, Aceh, Indonesia
- January 31, 1886, Koeta Radja (Atjeh), Indonesia
- December 14, 1885, Banda Atjeh, Indonesia
- November 25, 1935, Celebes Sea, Indonesia
- May 9, 1949, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
- April 2, 1964, Banda Aceh, Indonesia
- May 17, 1955, Little Nicobar Island, India
- September 29, 1837, Banda Atjeh, Indonesia
- May 19, 1887, Sigli, Aceh, Sumatra, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1983The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1983Recent 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 4973.