M5.3 Earthquake 75 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia — August 16, 2026
2026-08-16 10:14:36 UTC (1 hour ago) · approx. 6:14 PM UTC+8 local
Maximum shaking intensity MMI 4.4 (moderate). Aftershock of the M5.5 mainshock.
On August 16, 2026 at 10:14 UTC, a magnitude 5.3 shallow crustal earthquake struck 75 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia, at a depth of 10.0 km and coordinates -7.9399°, 120.5995°. This earthquake was detected by 91 seismic stations with excellent location accuracy and was assigned a USGS significance rating of 432, placing it among routine seismic activity.
Physical scale: An earthquake of magnitude 5.3 releases seismic energy equivalent to roughly 1 kilotons of TNT. Empirical fault-scaling laws (Wells & Coppersmith, 1994) estimate the subsurface rupture length at approximately 2.7 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 5.5 mainshock that occurred 5 hours ago 76 km N of Ruteng, Indonesia. Since the mainshock, the USGS has recorded 9 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
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
120.5995°E
Technical Information
Nearby Earthquakes (Last 7 Days)
Common Questions
How strong was the magnitude 5.3 earthquake near Ruteng, Indonesia?
The magnitude 5.3 earthquake that struck 75 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia on August 16, 2026 at 10:14 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 -7.9399°, 120.5995°, which is 75 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia. View all earthquakes in Indonesia.
Were there aftershocks?
Aftershock activity is monitored continuously by the USGS. Aftershock sequences from magnitude 5.3 earthquakes can continue for days to weeks and gradually diminish over time.
Is this the same earthquake as the M5.5 one earlier?
No. This magnitude 5.3 earthquake is an aftershock of the larger magnitude 5.5 mainshock that occurred earlier 76 km N 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 5.3 event is significantly smaller than that historical record.
Authoritative source: USGS event page (event ID: usd0015e7j). All scientific values on this page are sourced verbatim from the USGS feed.
Cite this page: EarthquakeTracker.org. (2026, August 16, 2026). M5.3 Earthquake 75 km NNE of Ruteng, Indonesia — August 16, 2026. Retrieved August 16, 2026 from https://www.earthquaketracker.org/earthquakes/event/usd0015e7j/