M5.4 Earthquake 190 km N of Dili, Timor Leste — August 12, 2025
2025-08-12 16:21:50 UTC (2025-08-12) · approx. 12:21 AM UTC+8 local
Aftershock of the M5.9 mainshock.
On August 12, 2025 at 16:21 UTC, a magnitude 5.4 deep-focus earthquake struck 190 km N of Dili, Timor Leste, at a depth of 524.1 km and coordinates -6.8616°, 125.2616°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 191 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 449, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Apui (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.4 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 2 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.2 km — a useful intuition for the size of the slip patch on the fault.
This earthquake is part of an ongoing aftershock sequence following the magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred 25 days ago 193 km N of Metinaro, Timor Leste. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 0 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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
Earthquake Details
125.2616°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.4 earthquake near Dili, Timor Leste?
The magnitude 5.4 earthquake that struck 190 km N of Dili, Timor Leste on August 12, 2025 at 16:21 UTC had a depth of 524.1 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -6.8616°, 125.2616°, which is 190 km N of Dili, Timor Leste. The nearest populated place is Apui (population 0).
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.4 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.9 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.4 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.9 mainshock that occurred earlier 193 km N of Metinaro, Timor Leste. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
Actions
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us6000r04e). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2025, August 12, 2025). M5.4 Earthquake 190 km N of Dili, Timor Leste — August 12, 2025. Retrieved October 25, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us6000r04e/