6.8-Magnitude Quake Off Sumatra Felt Across Southern Thailand
A 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off northern Sumatra on August 15, with tremors felt across five Southern Thailand provinces including Phuket and Krabi, though authorities determined no evacuation alerts were necessary.
At 17:54 on August 15, 2025, Thailand's Meteorological Department Earthquake Watch Center reported a 6.8-magnitude earthquake centered in the northern Sumatra region of Indonesia. The epicenter was initially recorded at latitude 2.98°N, longitude 99.06°E with a magnitude of 6.4 and depth of 168 kilometers. The data was later updated to latitude 3.03°N, longitude 99.11°E, with a magnitude of 6.8 and depth of 175 kilometers. Near the epicenter, the tremors are expected to reach intensity level 8–9 on the Mercalli scale, potentially causing severe structural damage and partial building collapse.
Residents in Songkhla, Trang, Krabi, Phuket, and Satun provinces reported feeling the earthquake. However, the magnitude and epicenter location did not meet the criteria for issuing a Cell Broadcast alert. The Meteorological Department issued its second announcement on August 15, 2025 at 18:44, confirming that the tremors were felt across the five provinces but posed no immediate threat requiring evacuation alerts.
