January 22, 2008 Earthquake: Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia on January 22, 2008 at 17:14:57 UTC, 20 km below the surface. It killed 1 person.
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
- January 22, 2008
- Time
- 17:14:57 UTC
- Place
- Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.1 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 20 km (12 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 1.011° N, 97.442° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Injuries
- 5
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100) with its tsunami and other effects
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.
One person killed and five people injured on Nias; several buildings damaged at Gunungsitoli. Felt (V) at Gunungsitoli, (IV) at Singkil and Sibolga; (II) at Padang. (reference #1053)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 2005, SW, Sumatera, Indonesia
- March 9, 1861, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- April 26, 1861, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- June 17, 1861, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- January 5, 1843, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 11, 1852, Sibolga, Sumatra, Indonesia
- July 5, 2005, Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
- December 28, 1935, Batu I,padang,sibolga, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- February 4, 1971, Natal, Sibolga, Tarutung, Pasaman, Indonesia
- April 6, 2010, Sumatra, Indonesia
- August 27, 1984, Tarutung, N Sumatera, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2008The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2008Recent 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 7750.