Location:

Magnitude:

7.2

Time:

9 May 2010 05:59:41

Depth:

38.0

M 7.0+:

M 9.1; 2004 Sumatra - Andaman Islands Earthquake; (26 Dec 2004) (50km from the earthquake)

There are 2 swarms found nearby.

2002

PS20020124.1(52.1km)

24 Jan

22 hours

6 earthquakes

2004

PS20050101.2(69.2km)

31 Dec

21 hours

5 earthquakes

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The 2010 Meulaboh Earthquake and Seismic Context of Western Sumatra

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck 45 km south-southwest of Meulaboh, Indonesia, on 9 May 2010 at 05:59 local time. The event originated at a depth of 38 km. This earthquake occurred within the tectonically active zone of western Sumatra, part of the Sunda subduction system.

Western Sumatra lies along the convergent boundary where the Indo-Australian Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate. The subduction interface produces frequent large earthquakes, with the 2010 event located near the same segment that hosted the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake. The 26 December 2004 event, magnitude 9.1, occurred approximately 50 km from the 2010 epicenter and generated a devastating tsunami across the Indian Ocean.

Since 2000, two strong earthquakes have been recorded in close proximity to this location. The 2004 megathrust rupture released immense strain along hundreds of kilometers of the plate boundary. The 2010 magnitude 7.2 event represents a subsequent release of stress within the same regional fault system. Both events share the characteristic shallow-to-intermediate depths typical of subduction-related seismicity in this area.

The geological setting features the Sunda Trench offshore, with associated forearc basins and the Sumatran Fault running parallel to the coast on land. Meulaboh sits in Aceh Province, where the overriding plate experiences both thrust faulting from subduction and strike-slip motion along the Sumatran Fault. The 38 km depth of the 2010 earthquake places it within the seismogenic portion of the subduction interface.

Historical records indicate that western Sumatra experiences recurrent great earthquakes on timescales of centuries, driven by the steady convergence rate of several centimeters per year. The 2004 event remains the largest in the instrumental record for this segment, while the 2010 earthquake illustrates continued seismic activity following the mainshock.

Post-2004 studies of aftershock patterns show that smaller to moderate events, including the 2010 shock, cluster near the edges of the 2004 rupture zone. This distribution reflects ongoing stress adjustment along the plate boundary.

References

USGS Earthquake Catalog data for events of 26 Dec 2004 and 9 May 2010.