BMKG: M4.9 Earthquake Shakes Bengkulu Region

An earthquake struck Mukomuko, Bengkulu, Indonesia, on Sunday night, September 14, 2025. According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the quake registered a Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) of IV. This level indicates that if the earthquake had occurred during the day, many people indoors would have felt it, and it could have caused doors and windows to rattle.

BMKG reported that the earthquake occurred at exactly 21:49 WIB (Western Indonesian Time), with its epicenter located in the sea, 40 kilometers southwest of Mukomuko City. The quake had a depth of 57 kilometers.

In an official statement, BMKG explained that the tremor was a shallow earthquake caused by the subduction of the Indo-Australian plate. This type of earthquake is commonly referred to as a megathrust earthquake.

Initially, BMKG measured the magnitude at M5.2, but it was later revised to M4.9. The agency confirmed that the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami.

Despite the downgrade in magnitude, the quake was widely felt. In addition to Mukomuko, residents in several parts of West Sumatra — including Padang and Solok — also reported feeling the tremor. These areas experienced shaking at MMI scale III. If it had occurred during the day, the shaking would have felt similar to the passing of a heavy truck.

Many residents took to social media to share their experiences. Twitter user @arifnazarsson, who lives in Mukomuko, said, “It felt like everything was collapsing.” Another user, @LiansyiYunia, also from Mukomuko, described it as “incredibly strong” and said she was “really scared.”

Users in Padang, such as @cheezcake__ and @yjhlsm04, also reported feeling a strong and intense vibration.

Earlier that same day, BMKG recorded another earthquake in Simeulue, Aceh. This smaller quake had a magnitude of M4.2 and occurred at 08:13 WIB. Its epicenter was located in the sea, 86 kilometers southwest of Sinabang, at a shallow depth of only 2 kilometers.

Source : https://en.tempo.co/read/2048995/bmkg-strong-m4-9-earthquake-hits-bengkulu-indonesia