Additional Coverage:
A powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck northern Indonesia on Thursday, causing buildings to collapse, forcing residents to flee their homes, and resulting in at least one fatality. The quake also triggered a minor tsunami, with waves reaching up to 30 inches above normal tide levels recorded at several monitoring stations roughly 30 minutes after the event.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located in the Molucca Sea. Indonesia’s meteorological agency issued a tsunami warning, which was lifted hours later. Meanwhile, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology confirmed there was no significant tsunami threat to the Philippines, situated north of the quake’s origin.
Strong tremors lasting between 10 and 20 seconds were reported in Bitung, North Sulawesi, and in Ternate, North Maluku, according to Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency. Early damage assessments indicated a range of impacts in Ternate, including a damaged church and two houses, while evaluations in Bitung were ongoing.
Tragically, a 70-year-old woman died when a building collapsed in Manado city, North Sulawesi, and another individual was injured. At least three others sustained injuries in Ternate and were hospitalized. Rescue agency footage showed scenes of destruction, with homes flattened and residents evacuating to avoid potential building collapses.
Nearly 50 aftershocks were recorded in the surrounding regions. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu noted the possibility of small waves in neighboring countries, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Papua New Guinea, but stated there was no tsunami threat to more distant locations such as Hawaii and Guam.
Residents in the affected areas described the quake as intense. Marten Mandagi, a Bitung resident, recalled waking suddenly as the strong shaking forced everyone outside. Although his neighborhood did not suffer damage, he and others remain vigilant as assessments continue.
Indonesia, with a population exceeding 280 million, is situated along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region known for frequent seismic activity due to numerous fault lines and volcanic zones. The country has experienced devastating earthquakes in recent decades, including a 2022 quake in West Java that claimed over 600 lives, and the catastrophic 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami that resulted in more than 4,300 deaths. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami also had a profound impact, particularly in Aceh province, where over 230,000 people lost their lives across multiple countries.