4.6

M4.6 Earthquake 79 km NNE of Luwuk, IndonesiaMarch 18, 2025

2025-03-18 19:17:58 UTC (2025-03-18) · approx. 3:17 AM UTC+8 local

MagnitudeM4.6(mb)
Time19:17 UTC3:17 AM UTC+8
Depth90.7 kmintermediate depth
Coordinates-0.261°, 122.991°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS

On March 18, 2025 at 19:17 UTC, a magnitude 4.6 intermediate depth earthquake struck 79 km NNE of Luwuk, Indonesia, at a depth of 90.7 km and coordinates -0.2610°, 122.9910°. This earthquake was detected by 79 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 326, placing it among routine seismic activity.

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 metric tons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 899 m — 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

Map showing earthquake epicenter at -0.26°, 122.99°

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
4.6 mb
Depth
90.7 km
intermediate depth
Location
-0.2610°N
122.9910°E

Technical Information

Event ID
us6000pzmn
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
326
Stations Used
79
Azimuthal Gap
29.0°
Min Station Distance
0.806°
RMS Residual
0.77 sec
Last Updated
2025-05-17 19:20:01 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 4.6 earthquake near Luwuk, Indonesia?

The magnitude 4.6 earthquake that struck 79 km NNE of Luwuk, Indonesia on March 18, 2025 at 19:17 UTC had a depth of 90.7 km. For context, this was a light earthquake commonly felt near the epicenter.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -0.2610°, 122.9910°, which is 79 km NNE of Luwuk, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 4.6 earthquakes can continue for several days 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 4.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000pzmn). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, March 18, 2025). M4.6 Earthquake 79 km NNE of Luwuk, IndonesiaMarch 18, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000pzmn/