October 31, 2017 Earthquake: Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia on October 31, 2017 at 11:50:48 UTC, 6 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
- October 31, 2017
- Time
- 11:50:48 UTC
- Place
- Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 6.1 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 6 km (4 mi)
- Intensity
- 5 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 3.745° S, 127.752° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 1
- Damage
- Limited (under about $1 million)
- Houses damaged
- 14
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 one person died and several buildings were damaged when a swarm of five earthquakes, with a maximum magnitude of 6.2, shook Ambon Island in Maluku on Tuesday night (31/10). No tsunami warning was issued. The epicenter was near Pattimura Airport, about 38 kilometers from the city of Ambon. Due to the quakes having occurred at a relatively shallow depth, the tremors were only felt on the island. "At least 14 houses were damaged. [ ] The airport tower was also damaged," National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) spokesman Sutopo Nugroho told the Jakarta Globe. He said the deceased died of a heart attack during the earthquakes. (reference #12084)
Several buildings damaged at Ambon. Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia - CDI: 5 (reference #13456)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- September 29, 1899, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- February 17, 1674, Ambon Island, Seram Island, Indonesia
- September 25, 2019, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- March 14, 2006, Seram, Indonesia
- August 18, 1754, Ambon Island, Indonesia
- November 12, 2019, Ambon, Maluku, Indonesia
- September 5, 1711, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- October 10, 2019, Passo, Indonesia
- January 16, 2016, Buru, Ambalau Island, Maluku, Indonesia
- October 8, 1950, Seram, Indonesia
- August 28, 1690, South Maluku, Indonesia
- March 12, 1983, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- December 16, 1841, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- November 28, 1708, Banda Sea, Indonesia
- May 6, 1674, Banda Sea, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2017The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2017Recent 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 10319.