6.0

M6.0 Earthquake 181 km SW of Nabire, IndonesiaNovember 10, 2021

2021-11-10 17:46:40 UTC (2021-11-10) · approx. 2:46 AM UTC+9 local

Maximum shaking intensity MMI 5.4 (strong).

MagnitudeM6.0(mww)
Time17:46 UTC2:46 AM UTC+9
Depth10.0 kmshallow crustal
Coordinates-4.324°, 134.180°
Felt byNo felt reports
Status✓ Reviewed by USGS· green PAGER
green Alertno significant casualties or damage expected

On November 10, 2021 at 17:46 UTC, a magnitude 6.0 shallow crustal earthquake struck 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -4.3244°, 134.1805°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Kaimana (population 0).

Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.0 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 15 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 8.3 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

Kaimanapop. 0
MMI 3.8 (light)
Kwantisorepop. 0
MMI 3.6 (light)
Bofuerpop. 0
MMI 3.5 (light)
Kirurupop. 0
MMI 3.5 (light)
Nabirepop. 43,898
MMI 3.5 (light)
Utapop. 0
MMI 3.4 (light)
Map showing earthquake epicenter at -4.32°, 134.18°

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.

USGS ShakeMap intensity contours for the M6.0 earthquake near 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia

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)DescriptionPopulation exposed
MMI 3weak847,475
MMI 4light106,597
MMI 5moderate260

Earthquake Details

Magnitude
6.0 mww
Depth
10.0 km
shallow crustal
Location
-4.3244°N
134.1805°E
Intensity (MMI)
5.4
strong

Technical Information

Event ID
us7000ft0f
Event Type
earthquake
Status
✓ Reviewed
Significance
554
Azimuthal Gap
22.0°
Min Station Distance
2.380°
RMS Residual
0.85 sec
Last Updated
2025-12-22 22:24:26 UTC

Common Questions

How strong was the magnitude 6.0 earthquake near Nabire, Indonesia?

The magnitude 6.0 earthquake that struck 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia on November 10, 2021 at 17:46 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.

Where did the earthquake occur?

The earthquake epicenter was located at -4.3244°, 134.1805°, which is 181 km SW of Nabire, Indonesia. The nearest populated place is Kaimana (population 0). View all earthquakes in Indonesia.

Were there aftershocks?

Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.0 earthquakes can continue for weeks to months 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 6.0 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.

Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000ft0f). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.

Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2021, November 10, 2021). M6.0 Earthquake 181 km SW of Nabire, IndonesiaNovember 10, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000ft0f/