M5.3 Earthquake 112 km E of Tual, Indonesia — January 31, 2021
2021-01-31 09:44:41 UTC (2021-01-31) · approx. 6:44 PM UTC+9 local
On January 31, 2021 at 09:44 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 112 km E of Tual, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -5.5312°, 133.7606°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
The epicenter is located in Indonesia, a region characterized by the convergence of the Indo-Australian, Eurasian, and Philippine Sea plates, forming the Sunda-Banda arc system. The nearest mapped fault system is the Sunda megathrust. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Learn more: Magnitude scale · Aftershock sequences
Earthquake Details
133.7606°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Tual, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 112 km E of Tual, Indonesia on January 31, 2021 at 09:44 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -5.5312°, 133.7606°, which is 112 km E of Tual, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Has Indonesia had earthquakes this big before?
The largest recorded earthquake in Indonesia was the M9.1 Indian Ocean earthquake of December 26, 2004. Today's magnitude 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000dddu). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, January 31, 2021). M5.3 Earthquake 112 km E of Tual, Indonesia — January 31, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000dddu/