M5.6 Earthquake 177 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia — March 13, 2022
2022-03-13 21:38:43 UTC (2022-03-13) · approx. 4:38 AM UTC+7 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.8 (moderate).
On March 13, 2022 at 21:38 UTC, a magnitude 5.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 177 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia, at a depth of 29.2 km and coordinates -0.6087°, 98.5291°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Sikabaluan (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 4 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 4.4 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
Nearest Populated Places
ShakeMap — predicted shaking intensity
Modeled ground-motion intensity contoured on the Modified Mercalli scale (MMI). Computed by the USGS from the moment-tensor solution and regional ground-motion prediction equations.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey ShakeMap. View interactive ShakeMap on USGS
Population exposure (USGS PAGER)
Estimated population that experienced each level of shaking. Based on the USGS PAGER rapid impact assessment, which combines ShakeMap output with global population grids.
| Shaking intensity (MMI) | Description | Population exposed |
|---|---|---|
| MMI 3 | weak | 2,705,347 |
| MMI 4 | light | 36,677 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 4,960 |
Earthquake Details
98.5291°E
Technical Information
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.6 earthquake near Pariaman, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.6 earthquake that struck 177 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia on March 13, 2022 at 21:38 UTC had a depth of 29.2 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -0.6087°, 98.5291°, which is 177 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia. The nearest populated place is Sikabaluan (population 0). View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.6 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 5.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000h49u). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, March 13, 2022). M5.6 Earthquake 177 km W of Pariaman, Indonesia — March 13, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000h49u/