M6.6 Earthquake 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia — January 14, 2022
2022-01-14 09:05:41 UTC (2022-01-14) · approx. 4:05 PM UTC+7 local
Felt by 157 people across surrounding communities. Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.2 (very strong).
On January 14, 2022 at 09:05 UTC, a magnitude 6.6 shallow crustal earthquake struck 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia, at a depth of 33.0 km and coordinates -6.8600°, 105.2887°. The earthquake was reported felt by 157 peopleacross surrounding communities, with a maximum shaking intensity of Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) 6.2 (very strong). The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. The nearest populated place is Tugu Hilir (population 0).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 6.6 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 120 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 22 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
What the Shaking Felt Like
At MMI 6.2 (very strong), people in the most strongly affected areas would have experienced: Strong shaking felt by everyone. Heavy furniture may move. Books fall from shelves. Plaster and chimneys may crack. Damage is generally slight in well-built structures.
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
Did You Feel It? — community-reported shaking
Aggregated felt-report intensity from 157 citizen responses to the USGS Did You Feel It? system. Each colored zone represents the average MMI from reports in that area.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey Did You Feel It?. View on USGS · submit your own report
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 | 26,979,140 |
| MMI 4 | light | 22,711,560 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 1,122,507 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 330,183 |
Earthquake Details
105.2887°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 6.6 earthquake near Labuan, Indonesia?
The magnitude 6.6 earthquake that struck 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia on January 14, 2022 at 09:05 UTC had a depth of 33.0 km. It was felt by 157 people with maximum shaking intensity of MMI 6.2 (very strong). For context, this was a strong earthquake capable of causing significant damage.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -6.8600°, 105.2887°, which is 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia. The nearest populated place is Tugu Hilir (population 0). View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 6.6 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 6.6 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000gbu4). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2022, January 14, 2022). M6.6 Earthquake 80 km SW of Labuan, Indonesia — January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2025 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000gbu4/