Strong Earthquake Measuring 6.2 Mw Strikes Kepulauan Mentawai Region, Indonesia
An earthquake measuring 6.2 Mw struck Kepulauan Mentawai Region, about 115 km (70 miles) WSW of Padang, Sumatra, Indonesia, at a depth of about 22km. The mainshock was followed by at least one aftershock measuring 5.3Mw.
More than two dozen quakes measuring 5.0Mw or larger, including a 6.9Mw quake that occurred in August 2009, have struck the area since mid August 2009.
Based on the existing information, FEWW EarthModel forecasts a large quake measuring ≥8.0 could strike near Padang, the capital and largest city of West Sumatra, Indonesia.
Padang has a population of about 800,000 people.
Earthquake Details:
Region: Southern Sumatra, Indonesia
Time: 2009-12-23 01:11:59.6 UTC
Magnitude: 6.2 [estimated by FEWW]
Epicenter: 99.47°E 1.43°S [location estimated by USGS: 1.419°S, 99.448°E]
Depth: 27 km
EQ Location Map. Source: GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin. Image may be subject to copyright.
Seismic Hazard Map
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. Source: USGS/EHP
Historic Seismicity
Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green. Source: USGS/EHP
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