March 14, 2006 Earthquake: Seram, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Seram, Indonesia on March 14, 2006 at 06:57:33 UTC, 30 km below the surface. It killed 4 people, counting the tsunami it caused.
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 14, 2006
- Time
- 06:57:33 UTC
- Place
- Seram, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 30 km (19 mi)
- Tsunami
- Yes: the tsunami it caused
- Epicenter
- 3.595° S, 127.214° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 4 with its tsunami and other effects
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 241
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.
At least three people killed and one missing due to a
local tsunami with an observed wave height (peak-to-
trough) of 7 meters on Buru. Ground cracks about 500 meters long with maximum width of about 15 centimeters were observed in the area. Liquefaction was also observed in the area.
One hundred sixteen houses damaged or destroyed at
Pela, 54 at Batu Jugku, 30 at Waimorot, 25 at Wailawa
and 16 at Waimoly. Felt (VI) at Namlea, Buru and (V)
on Ambon. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 29, 1899, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- February 17, 1674, Ambon Island, Seram Island, Indonesia
- January 24, 1965, Sanana Island, Indonesia
- September 25, 2019, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- August 18, 1754, Ambon Island, Indonesia
- November 12, 2019, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- January 16, 2016, Buru, Ambalau Island, Maluku, Indonesia
- October 31, 2017, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- October 10, 2019, Passo, Indonesia
- October 8, 1950, Seram, Indonesia
- December 16, 1841, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- January 28, 2004, Seram, Indonesia
- August 28, 1690, South Maluku, Indonesia
- May 28, 1876, Buru Island, Ceram Sea, Indonesia
- March 30, 1903, Tifu, Masarete, Kajeli, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2006The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2006Recent 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 7230.