A moderate earthquake struck the Gayo Lues district of Aceh, Indonesia, at midday on Wednesday, with tremors felt across northern Sumatra and as far as the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. No immediate reports of casualties or significant structural damage have emerged.

Indonesia’s meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency (BMKG) placed the quake at 11:18 local time, with a shallow depth of 9–10 km and an epicentre roughly 36–41 km northeast of Gayo Lues. The agency attributed the event to movement on the Oreng segment of the Great Sumatran Fault and recorded a magnitude of 5.5, while Malaysia’s meteorological department reported a magnitude of 5.7. No tsunami warning was issued. BMKG noted at least five aftershocks, the largest of magnitude 4.3, and said shaking reached intensity V on the MMI scale in the Gayo Lues area, where objects shifted and many residents felt the ground move.

In North Sumatra, the state railway operator KAI ordered all trains to make an emergency stop at 11:20 local time and dispatched crews to inspect tracks, bridges, signalling systems and station structures. After visual checks found no damage, services resumed at 12:09, with six trains delayed by between 3 and 24 minutes. Tremors were reported in Medan, Deli Serdang and Sibolga, where residents described a sensation akin to a large truck passing. Across the Malacca Strait, Malaysia’s meteorological department confirmed that shaking was felt along the peninsula’s west coast, including in the Klang Valley, Petaling Jaya, Kajang and Klang, and asked those who experienced it to complete a survey. Social media users in the affected areas shared accounts of swaying, though no damage has been verified.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and the Sumatran fault is a persistent source of seismic activity. Authorities in both countries urged the public to remain calm, avoid buildings with visible cracks, and rely only on official information. Monitoring for further aftershocks continues.