M6.4 Simalungun Earthquake Shakes Kabanjahe and Limapuluh

A magnitude 6.4 earthquake shook the Simalungun region of North Sumatra on Saturday afternoon (15/8). The strongest shaking was felt in Kabanjahe and Limapuluh.

“Based on the estimated shaking intensity map, this earthquake was felt at intensity scale V MMI (vibrations felt by almost all residents, many people awakened) in Tebingtinggi, Kabanjahe and Limapuluh,” said Wijayanto, Director of Earthquakes and Tsunamis at the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), in a statement on Saturday (15/8).

The earthquake was also felt at intensity scale IV MMI in Raya, Simalungun; Panombeian Pane, Simalungun; Panei, Simalungun; Pematangsiantar; and Pangururan.

Wijayanto said the epicentre of the magnitude 6.4 tectonic earthquake was at a depth of 168 kilometres. The epicentre was located at coordinates 2.91° N; 98.93° E, precisely on land 11 kilometres southeast of Simalungun, North Sumatra.

“Tsunami modelling results show that this earthquake has no tsunami potential,” Wijayanto explained.

He added that the earthquake was an intermediate-depth earthquake caused by plate subduction activity. Source mechanism analysis showed that the earthquake had an oblique normal fault mechanism.

“As of 18.16 WIB, BMKG monitoring results have not shown any aftershock activity,” Wijayanto said.