September 15, 2025 | 11:11 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - An earthquake struck Mukomuko, Bengkulu, Indonesia, on Sunday night, September 14th, 2025. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) measured the intensity of the tremor at scale IV MMI, indicating that if the earthquake had occurred during the day, it would have been felt by many people inside their homes and could have caused doors and windows to rattle.
The BMKG recorded that the earthquake occurred at precisely 21:49 WIB (Western Indonesian Time) with its epicenter located in the sea, 40 kilometers southwest of Mukumuko City. The earthquake's epicenter was at a depth of 57 kilometers.
In its statement released after the tremor, BMKG stated that the earthquake was a shallow type caused by the subduction activity of the Indo-Australian plate. Such earthquakes resulting from this type of activity are also known as megathrust earthquakes.
BMKG's analysis indicated that the earthquake had been updated to a magnitude of M4.9 from the initial information which mentioned M5.2. BMKG also confirmed from the beginning that there was no tsunami triggered by the earthquake.
Nevertheless, the tremor was widely felt. Apart from Mukomuko, according to BMKG's data, the earthquake was also felt in several areas in West Sumatra including Padang and Solok. Both areas experienced it at a scale of III MMI (if the earthquake had occurred during the day, the vibration would have been felt inside houses as if a truck was passing by).
Responding to BMKG's information about the earthquake on their social media account at X, it was proven that the nighttime earthquake tremor had been felt by many people. "I live in Mukomuko, it felt like everything was collapsing," said the user @arifnazarsson. The user @LiansyiYunia also claimed to be in Mukomuko. "The tremor was incredibly strong, I was really scared," she said.
The widespread impact of the tremor was also revealed by @cheezcake__ and @yjhlsm04. They similarly mentioned feeling a strong and intense vibration in Padang, West Sumatra.
Still on Sunday, the BMKG also noted that an earthquake was felt in Simeulue, Aceh. It was a magnitude M4.2 earthquake that occurred at 08:13. The earthquake's epicenter was in the sea, 86 kilometers southwest of Sinabang at a depth of 2 kilometers.
Editor's Choice: Why the BMKG is Concerned About Megathrust Earthquake Threat in Indonesia
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