July 4, 1991 Earthquake: Kalabahi, Dili, Timor, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.5 earthquake struck Kalabahi, Dili, Timor, Indonesia on July 4, 1991 at 11:43:10 UTC, 29 km below the surface. It killed 28 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
- July 4, 1991
- Time
- 11:43:10 UTC
- Place
- Kalabahi, Dili, Timor, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.5 (Ms)
- Focal depth
- 29 km (18 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 8.099° S, 124.681° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 28
- Injuries
- 181
- Damage
- $7.7 million
- Houses destroyed
- 1,150
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.
1991, July 4. Twenty-three people killed, 181 injured, at least 5,400 left homeless and about 1,150 buildings destroyed at Kalabahi, Alor. Estimated 7.7 million U.S. dollars damage occurred in the epicentral area. Felt at Dili. (reference #1053))
1991, July 4. 28 killed, $18 million dollars damage. (reference #1250)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- April 18, 1896, Alor Island, Timor, Indonesia
- November 26, 1987, Pantar, Mount Sirung, Timor, Indonesia
- November 11, 2004, Kepulauan Alor, Indonesia
- December 25, 1982, Eastern, Flores Island, Indonesia
- May 14, 1995, Timor, Dili, Maliana, Maubara, Indonesia
- November 4, 2015, Alor, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
- July 14, 1989, Alor, Timor, Indonesia
- October 5, 1891, Timor Sea, Indonesia
- March 22, 1944, Flores, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 1991The 1900sEvery quake the USGS located in 1991Recent 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 5296.