75 km E of Sinabang, Indonesia

A magnitude 7.8 earthquake — a major event — struck near 75 km E of Sinabang, Indonesia on April 6, 2010, at a shallow depth of about 31 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 7.8 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.