[1][2] It struck off the southern coast of the Indonesian island with an estimated moment magnitude of 7.8 (Mw ).

Simulation models of a shallow crustal and large subduction zone earthquake were inconsistent with the historical reports.

Modelling an intraslab earthquake of magnitude 7.8 at a depth of 80 km (50 mi) agrees with the reports of widespread, high-intensity, and heavy damage.

[4] The earthquake was felt from Banten, in the western part of Java, to Negara, Bali, a distance of 900 km (560 mi).

At Salatiga, the earthquake caused a clock to stop at the time of its occurrence: 04:21, but the shaking lasted until 04:22.

Effects from the quake were also felt on ships docked at Batavia and those located hundreds of miles away.

[4] In the book Raden Saleh: kehidupan dan karyanya by Werner Kraus, the death toll was in the "thousands" although no exact figure was provoded.

[10] According to the simulation results, if an earthquake of the same intensity occurred today, it is estimated to cause about 60,000 deaths.