September 30, 2022 Earthquake: Sumatra, Indonesia
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Sumatra, Indonesia on September 30, 2022 at 19:28:40 UTC, 18 km below the surface. It killed 2 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 30, 2022
- Time
- 19:28:40 UTC
- Place
- Sumatra, Indonesia
- Magnitude
- 5.9 (Mw)
- Focal depth
- 18 km (11 mi)
- Intensity
- 7 on the Modified Mercalli scale
- Tsunami
- None recorded
- Epicenter
- 2.128° N, 98.900° E
- Country
- Indonesia
The toll
- Deaths
- 2
- Injuries
- 26
- Damage
- Moderate (about $1 to $5 million)
- Houses destroyed
- 1,323 with its tsunami and other effects
- Houses damaged
- 1,323
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.
An earthquake of 5.9 M (6.0 M as reported by the national authorities) at a depth of 21 km occurred in North Tapanuli Regency (North Sumatra Province, western Indonesia) on 30 September at 19.28 UTC (1 October at 2.28 local time). The epicentre was located approximately 11 km north-west of Tarutung Town (North Tapanuli Regency). USGS PAGER estimates that up to 25,000 people were exposed to very strong shaking and up to 373,000 to strong shaking. According to the Indonesian National Agency for Disaster Countermeasure (BNPB), one person died, several people have been injured, and widespread damage has been reported across the area of the earthquake. Two aftershocks of 5.0 M and 4.9 M have been recorded close to the epicentre. (reference #13349)
Two people died from heart attacks and 26 injured; 1,323 houses, 184 public buildings and roads and bridges damaged; landslides occurred in Kabupaten Tapanuli Utara. Sibolga, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia - CDI: 7; Kabanjahe, Sumatera Utara, Indonesia - CDI: 4; Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - CDI: 3; Semenyih, Selangor, Malaysia - CDI: 3 ;Banting, Selangor, Malaysia - CDI: 3 (reference #13456)
Other significant earthquakes nearby
Within 200 km, the deadliest first.
- March 28, 2005, SW, Sumatera, Indonesia
- September 5, 2011, Sumatra, Indonesia
- December 17, 2006, Northern, Muarasipongi, Sumatera, Indonesia
- April 25, 1987, N, Tarutung-Lake Toba,, Sumatera, Indonesia
- March 17, 2025, Tapanuli, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- August 27, 1984, Tarutung, N Sumatera, Indonesia
- May 17, 1892, Padangsidimpuan, Lake Toba, Sumatra, Indonesia
- January 5, 1843, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- November 11, 1852, Sibolga, Sumatra, Indonesia
- February 4, 1971, Natal, Sibolga, Tarutung, Pasaman, Indonesia
- April 26, 1861, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
- June 17, 1861, SW. Sumatra, Indonesia
More
Significant earthquakes of 2022The 2000sEvery quake the USGS located in 2022Recent 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 10648.