Shallow M5.7 earthquake hits offshore Java, Indonesia

A shallow M5.7 earthquake was recorded at 17:41 UTC on August 21, 2026, about 194 km (121 miles) southwest of Labuan, Indonesia. The seismic event originated at a depth of 10.0 km (6.2 miles), based on data from the USGS.

The earthquake’s epicenter was located offshore, at coordinates 104.6°E, 7.6°S, placing it in the southern part of the Sunda Strait region off the western coast of Java. There are no nearby major population centers directly over the epicenter, but southwestern Java is a densely populated area.

This region is a major maritime corridor with significant shipping lanes, ports, and ferry routes connecting Sumatra and Java. Infrastructure in the broader vicinity includes coastal highways, ports in Labuan and surrounding areas, and possible energy facilities near Java’s coast.

There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its offshore location and available data.

USGS issued a green alert for this event, indicating a low likelihood of casualties or damage. The maximum estimated intensity is in the range of III–IV (3.5), and the significance index is 500 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude and estimated impact.

This section of Indonesia sits atop the highly seismic Sunda Arc, where the Indo-Australian Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate, making the region prone to frequent and sometimes strong earthquakes.

This information was last updated at 18:04 UTC on August 21, 2026.