M5.1 Earthquake 70 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia — August 2, 2021
2021-08-02 15:04:24 UTC (2021-08-02) · approx. 11:04 PM UTC+8 local
On August 2, 2021 at 15:04 UTC, a magnitude 5.1 intermediate depth earthquake struck 70 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia, at a depth of 122.5 km and coordinates 1.8410°, 127.3842°.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.1 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 674 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.0 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
127.3842°E
Technical Information
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Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.1 earthquake near Tobelo, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.1 earthquake that struck 70 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia on August 2, 2021 at 15:04 UTC had a depth of 122.5 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at 1.8410°, 127.3842°, which is 70 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.1 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 5.1 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000f1hr). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, August 2, 2021). M5.1 Earthquake 70 km W of Tobelo, Indonesia — August 2, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000f1hr/