September 5, 2011 Earthquake: Sumatra, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on September 5, 2011 at 17:55:11 UTC, 91 km below the surface. It killed 10 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
- September 5, 2011
- Time
- 17:55:11 UTC
- Place
- Sumatra, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.7 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 91 km (57 mi)
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 2.965° N, 97.893° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 10
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses damaged
- Some (about 51 to 100)
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 10 people killed in Aceh. Some homes damaged and power outages occurred at Singkil. Felt (IV) at Medan, Parapat, Sibolga and Singkil; (III) at Banda Aceh, Pariaman and Sinabang. Also felt (IV) on Pulau Samosir and (III) on Pulau Nias and Pulau Simuelue. Felt (IV) at Tanjung Tokong
and (III) at Bukit Mertajam, Butterworth, George Town,
Kepala Batas and Perai, Malaysia. Felt throughout
northern Sumatra and western Malaysia. Felt (II) at Hat Yai and Kathu, Thailand and in Singapore. (reference #1053)
Jakarta, Indonesia (CNN) -- A 6.6-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia's Sumatra island early Tuesday morning, damaging buildings and killing two people, officials said...The quake caused fires that burned several stores, said Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, a senior official of the local National Disaster Management Agency. (reference #9538)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 2005, SW, Sumatera, Indonesia
- September 9, 1936, Tapanuli, Karo, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- April 25, 1987, N, Tarutung-Lake Toba,, Sumatera, Indonesia
- September 30, 2022, Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 15, 1990, N Sumatera, Blangkejeren, Kutacane, Indonesia
- March 17, 2025, Tapanuli, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- March 28, 2006, Tapaktuan, N. Sumatra, Indonesia
- April 6, 2010, Sumatra, Indonesia
- July 5, 2005, Gunungsitoli, Nias Island, Sumatra, Indonesia
- February 24, 1982, Northern Sumatera, Indonesia
- January 5, 1843, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 11, 1852, Sibolga, Sumatra, Indonesia
- May 17, 1892, Padangsidimpuan, Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia
- August 27, 1984, Tarutung, N Sumatera, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2011The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2011Recent 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 9840.