M5.5 Earthquake 44 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia — August 31, 2026
2026-08-31 08:03:28 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 4:03 PM UTC+8 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 6.4 (very strong). Aftershock of the M5.7 mainshock.
On August 31, 2026 at 08:03 UTC, a magnitude 5.5 shallow crustal earthquake struck 44 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -8.2410°, 120.6119°. The USGS PAGER system issued a green alert level for this event, indicating no significant casualties or damage expected. This earthquake was detected by 82 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 465, placing it among routine seismic activity. The nearest populated place is Ruteng (population 53,976).
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.5 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 3 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 3.8 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 5.7 mainshock that occurred 11 days ago 32 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 26 aftershocks in this area. Aftershock activity is expected to continue for days to weeks as stresses on surrounding faults redistribute.
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 | 1,784,087 |
| MMI 4 | light | 1,001,096 |
| MMI 5 | moderate | 47,464 |
| MMI 6 | strong | 7,994 |
Earthquake Details
120.6119°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.5 earthquake near Ruteng, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.5 earthquake that struck 44 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia on August 31, 2026 at 08:03 UTC had a depth of 10.0 km. For context, this was a moderate earthquake that could be widely felt.
Where did the earthquake occur?
The earthquake epicenter was located at -8.2410°, 120.6119°, which is 44 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia. The nearest populated place is Ruteng (population 53,976). View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.5 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.7 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.5 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.7 mainshock that occurred earlier 32 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes triggered by stress changes from the mainshock.
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 5.5 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: us7000td2z). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 31, 2026). M5.5 Earthquake 44 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia — August 31, 2026. Retrieved August 31, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/us7000td2z/