TERNATE: A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Molucca Sea off eastern Indonesia early Thursday, killing one person, damaging buildings and prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted after small waves were recorded. The undersea quake hit at a depth of 35 kilometers about 127 kilometers west-northwest of Ternate, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Authorities in North Maluku and North Sulawesi moved residents away from coastal areas as emergency teams began checking damage in cities and islands closest to the epicenter.
Indonesia’s meteorology agency issued an early tsunami warning after the shaking was felt across a wide stretch of the country’s east, including Ternate, Bitung and Manado. The warning was canceled later in the morning after monitoring stations recorded sea level changes below destructive levels. Officials reported the highest wave at 0.75 meter in North Minahasa, while smaller waves were also detected in North Maluku and other nearby coastal areas. No broader tsunami threat remained in place after the alert was ended.
The fatality was reported in Manado, where a 70-year-old woman was struck by falling debris from a damaged building, according to local officials. Disaster authorities also reported damage to houses and a church in Ternate and surrounding areas, while inspections continued in other parts of North Maluku and North Sulawesi. Images from affected districts showed cracked walls, fallen masonry and residents gathering outside homes, offices and hospitals after the shaking, which witnesses said lasted more than a minute.
Warning Lifted After Small Waves Recorded
Emergency officials urged residents to stay away from shorelines until the tsunami alert was formally lifted and to avoid buildings that may have been weakened by the quake. Search and rescue units, police and local disaster agencies were deployed to assess structural damage and assist people who had fled into open areas. In several communities, families remained outside for hours as authorities checked public buildings and reviewed reports from islands and coastal districts that are harder to reach quickly after strong earthquakes.
Seismologists recorded dozens of aftershocks through the day, including several strong enough to be widely felt, adding to concern in communities already unsettled by the initial quake. The main shock occurred in one of Indonesia’s most active seismic zones, where several tectonic plates interact beneath the sea. Officials said the continuing aftershocks meant inspections would need to be repeated, particularly for older buildings, places of worship and waterfront structures exposed to repeated shaking and changing sea conditions.
Damage Checks Continue Across Eastern Provinces
The earthquake also prompted close monitoring across neighboring countries. Authorities in the Philippines and Malaysia reviewed the risk to their coastlines after the initial warning, but no destructive tsunami was reported there and alerts were later lifted. In Indonesia, officials said some power outages and disruptions were reported as people rushed from buildings, though communications remained largely intact. Flights and major transport links were not immediately reported as severely affected, allowing emergency teams to move supplies and personnel into impacted areas.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and regularly experiences strong earthquakes, but Thursday’s tremor was among the largest to strike near Ternate in recent years. By late Thursday, authorities were still collecting reports from remote communities, where telecommunications and transport can slow confirmation of casualties and damage. The confirmed toll stood at one death, with further structural assessments continuing in North Maluku and North Sulawesi as officials urged residents to remain cautious during aftershocks and follow local safety instructions. – By Content Syndication Services.