USGS · August 20, 2026
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake — 45 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake was recorded near 45 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia on Aug 20, 2026, 12:17 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+8), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to USGS.
USGSFelt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)Shaking VIPAGER GreenShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist
Updated 2026-09-04 18:16 UTC
The full record
- Magnitude
- M 5.5 · moment magnitude (W-phase)
- Location
- 45 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia
- Local time at the epicentre
- Aug 20, 2026, 12:17 AM — UTC+8
- Time (UTC)
- 2026-08-19 16:17 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
- Coordinates
- -8.207, 120.558
- Felt reports
- Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak)
- Estimated shaking
- VI · Strong
- PAGER impact alert
- Green — No casualties or significant damage expected.
- Tsunami
- No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
- Significance
- 466 / 1000 · notable event
- Solution quality
- 132 seismic stations used · 31° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
- Review status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
- Catalog
- USGS
Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes
The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.
What the shaking was like
Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Estimated instrumental shaking VI (Strong): Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
People who reported it described intensity III (Weak): Felt indoors; hanging objects swing, like a passing truck.
Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.
Who lives nearby
About 0 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 230,257 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.
| Place | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Senggapi | 14.6 km SW | — |
| Pota | 26.8 km ESE | — |
| Bentengjawa | 27.8 km S | — |
| Toroloji | 45.9 km WSW | — |
| Ruteng | 46.1 km SSW | 41,533 |
| Riung | 56.7 km ESE | — |
| Borong | 67.5 km S | — |
| Iteng | 68.9 km SSW | — |
| Waelengga | 74.0 km SSE | — |
| Soa | 75.8 km SE | — |
Earthquake history in this area
11 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Indonesia.
Other earthquakes near this epicentre
677 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.
M 3.6 8 km SE of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 3.7 17 km SW of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 3.8 30 km SSW of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 3.7 36 km SSW of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 3.9 15 km SW of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 3.7 23 km SSW of Senggapi, Indonesia
M 4.0 47 km S of Pota, Indonesia
M 4.0 50 km S of Pota, Indonesia
M 4.1 55 km S of Pota, Indonesia
Be first to know about the next earthquake near 45 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia
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Frequently asked questions
How strong was the 45 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia earthquake?
Magnitude 5.5 (moment magnitude (W-phase)), at a depth of 10.0 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.
Exactly when did it happen?
Aug 20, 2026, 12:17 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+8). In universal time: 2026-08-19 16:17 UTC.
Was it felt?
Felt by 1 person · community intensity III (weak). Felt by all; furniture moves and some plaster and weak chimneys break.
Was there a tsunami warning?
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Which towns are closest to the epicentre?
The closest is Senggapi, 14.6 km SW.
Are earthquakes normal in this area?
Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 7.8 (37 km WNW of Maumere, Indonesia, 1992), and 677 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.
How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?
Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.
About this page
Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.