Indonesia seismic shock
Papua
A powerful earthquake measuring 6.7 on the Richter scale struck Indonesia’s eastern Papua province on Thursday, October 16, 2025, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The quake occurred at a depth of about 70 kilometres (43.5 miles), with its epicentre located approximately 200 kilometres from the city of Abepura, which has a population of over 62,000.
Despite the strong tremors, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center stated that no tsunami alert was issued following the earthquake. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the quake at a slightly lower magnitude of 6.4 and a shallower depth of 16 kilometres.
Daryono, the BMKG’s earthquake and tsunami director, said in a statement that no aftershocks had been detected so far and that monitoring would continue. Local authorities have not reported any immediate casualties or significant structural damage.
Indonesia, home to thousands of islands, frequently experiences seismic activity as it sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” — a horseshoe-shaped zone known for its high concentration of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The region’s tectonic movements result from the collision of several major plates, including the Indo-Australian and Pacific plates.
Papua, located on the western half of the island it shares with Papua New Guinea, often experiences moderate to strong earthquakes, though large-scale destruction is rare due to its relatively low population density.