M 5.9 Earthquake 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste

Source: USGS · Timor Leste

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake was recorded by USGS near 253 km ENE of Lospalos. On the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program scale, M5.9 is classified "Moderate". Among the 1,699 earthquake reports Areazine has published, this M5.9 event ranks stronger than 96% of them (rank #56 by magnitude).

Read this earthquake report in 30 seconds

Magnitude
M 5.9
USGS class
Moderate
Location
253 km ENE of Lospalos
Archive rank
#56 of 1,699
Source
USGS
Published
September 11, 2026
MODERATE

Stronger than 96% of the 1,699 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive, weaker than 55 others.

Record status: a point-in-time USGS detection. Aftershocks, revised magnitude, and felt-report data continue to update on USGS's own event page after publication.

What Happened

A M 5.9 mww earthquake occurred 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste, on August 11, 2026, at 12:36:23 UTC. The event was recorded at a depth of 111.763 km and was reviewed by USGS.

Location Details

The epicenter was located at latitude -7.2863, longitude 128.9383. This depth classifies the quake as deep (>70 km). It was situated 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste.

Impact Assessment

The earthquake was felt by 1 person, with a maximum reported intensity (CDI) of 2 and MMI of 3.901. No tsunami advisory was issued (tsunami: 0) and no alert level was assigned.

What You Should Know

This was a moderate earthquake. Deep events like this are less likely to cause significant surface damage. Residents in the region should follow standard earthquake preparedness guidelines.

Source

Data from USGS: https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000tgl2

Original source: USGS Official Notice ↗

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Nationwide notices with similar length or severity timing 8

Two Areazine-derived peer sets for this USGS earthquake report: nearest notices by body length and by same severity near the same agency date. Peers come from other categories so they are not the same-feed Related list above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about this USGS earthquake report.

What magnitude was this earthquake?
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck 253 km ENE of Lospalos, Timor Leste, at a depth of 111.8 km.
What does a magnitude 5.9 ("Moderate") earthquake mean?
The USGS classifies M5.9 as "Moderate" on its Earthquake Hazards Program scale. Events in this range are felt over a wide area and can cause significant damage near the epicenter, particularly to older or unreinforced buildings.
How does this compare with other earthquakes Areazine has reported?
This is the #56 strongest of the 1,699 earthquake reports in Areazine's archive by magnitude, stronger than 96% of them and weaker than 55 others.
Was Lospalos likely to feel this earthquake?
This event was centered 253 km ENE of Lospalos. Shaking intensity falls off sharply with distance from the epicenter and depends on depth and local geology, so check the USGS "Did You Feel It?" report for this event for real felt-shaking data rather than assuming from magnitude and distance alone.