The 2010 M7.0 Earthquake 121 km SSE of Biak, Indonesia

On 16 June 2010 at 03:16 local time, a magnitude 7.0 earthquake occurred 121 km south-southeast of Biak, Indonesia, at a focal depth of 18.0 km. This event represents the sole strong earthquake (M7.0 or greater) recorded in the immediate region since 1 January 2000. Biak lies within the tectonically complex eastern Indonesian archipelago, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The island sits at the convergent boundary where the Australian Plate interacts with the Pacific Plate and several microplates, producing frequent seismic activity along thrust faults and strike-slip systems. The shallow depth of the 2010 event is consistent with crustal faulting typical of this plate-margin setting. The broader geological history of the Biak region reflects ongoing subduction and collision processes that have shaped the island arc over millions of years. These dynamics generate both moderate and large earthquakes, as well as associated hazards such as ground shaking and potential tsunamis in coastal zones. No additional strong earthquakes meeting the M7.0 threshold have been documented in the immediate vicinity since 2000, underscoring the 2010 event as a notable occurrence within the recent seismic record of the area.

References

• Event parameters and regional strong-earthquake catalog since 2000 provided in source data.