Earthquake Strikes Tanimbar Islands, Indonesia
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck the Tanimbar Islands region of Indonesia on Friday, February 6, 2026, at 2120 GMT, according to the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences.
The epicenter of the quake was initially pinpointed at 7.92 degrees south latitude and 130.2 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 kilometers.
Indonesia is situated in a highly seismically active zone, frequently experiencing earthquakes due to the meeting of major tectonic plates. Records from the USGS indicate that Indonesia has experienced over 150 earthquakes with a magnitude greater than 7 since 1901.
Recent seismic activity in Indonesia, as documented in a list of earthquakes, includes a 6.0 magnitude quake in East Java on September 30, 2025, which caused damage to over 200 buildings. A 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck Sulawesi on August 17, 2025, resulting in two fatalities and severe damage. Bengkulu experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake on May 23, 2025, causing damage to more than 300 buildings and one fatality. North Sumatra was hit by a 5.4 magnitude quake on March 17, 2025, with reports of several injuries.
Further seismic events in 2024 included a 5.0 magnitude earthquake in West Java on September 18, damaging over 8,400 buildings and causing two deaths and 159 injuries. Bali experienced a 4.8 magnitude quake on September 7, 2024, causing damage to 10 buildings and resulting in one fatality and three injuries. A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck West Java on April 27, 2024, causing damage to hundreds of buildings and one fatality, along with 12 injuries. East Java was struck by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake on March 22, 2024, causing building damage in Bawean Island, Tuban and Surabaya, and resulting in 14 fatalities and 3,500 injuries.
In 2023, a 7.1 magnitude earthquake impacted Sumatra on April 24, causing moderate damage. East Java experienced a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on April 14. Papua was hit by a 5.1 magnitude quake on February 9, 2023, causing four fatalities and five injuries. A 7.0 magnitude earthquake struck North Maluku on January 18, 2023, causing minor damage. A 7.6 magnitude earthquake impacted Maluku on January 9, 2023, resulting in 11 fatalities and moderate damage.
West Java experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake on December 3, 2022, causing slight damage. A more significant event, a 5.6 magnitude earthquake, struck West Java on November 21, 2022, causing extreme damage, with reported fatalities ranging from 335 to 635 and 7,729 injuries. Sumatra experienced a 5.9 magnitude earthquake on September 30, 2022, causing moderate damage and two fatalities, along with 25 injuries.
The USGS provides a map of recent earthquakes, showing seismic activity around the globe, including areas near Alaska, Texas, and Japan. The USGS also maintains a list of earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.5 or greater.
On February 4, 2025, a powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 struck the Papua region of Indonesia, with the epicenter located in Sarmi Regency.
