Central Papua, Indonesia Experiences a 6.1 Magnitude Earthquake
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 occurred early Friday in the Central Papua province of Indonesia.
The settlement of Nabire, which is situated on the Indonesian portion of the huge Pacific island that is shared with Papua New Guinea, was 28 kilometers (17 miles) south of the epicenter of the earthquake.
Jeeze!!! This was the M6.3 earthquake in Papua, Indonesia earlier 👀👀 pic.twitter.com/TZM8UeoFeN
— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) September 18, 2025
Indonesia's BMKG agency reported the earthquake at 6.6 magnitude and 24 kilometers in depth, with multiple minor aftershocks, whereas the USGS reported it at 6.1 magnitude and 10 kilometers in depth.
Because of its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of severe seismic activity where tectonic plates meet that extends from Japan through Southeast Asia and throughout the Pacific basin, Indonesia, a huge archipelago nation, frequently experiences earthquakes.