An undersea magnitude 7.4 earthquake centered in the Molucca Sea struck northern Indonesia on Thursday, toppling buildings, killing one person and triggering a small tsunami.
Tsunami monitoring stations recorded waves up to 75 cm above normal tides about 30 minutes after the quake. Indonesia’s meteorological agency later lifted a tsunami warning, and the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said there was no destructive tsunami threat to the Philippines, which lies north of the epicenter.
Strong shaking that lasted roughly 10 to 20 seconds was reported in Bitung in North Sulawesi province and in Ternate city in North Maluku province, the national Disaster Management Agency said. Initial assessments found damage in parts of Ternate, including a church and two houses, while evaluations in Bitung were still under way.
Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency said a 70-year-old woman was killed when a building collapsed in Manado, North Sulawesi, and another resident was injured. At least three people were hospitalized in Ternate.
Rescue agency videos showed damaged structures and flattened houses, and broadcast footage captured residents rushing into streets to avoid collapsing buildings. Authorities said nearly 50 aftershocks were felt in nearby areas following the main quake.
A Bitung resident described waking to the quake and rushing outside with neighbors, saying the shaking felt very strong.
Local and national emergency teams were deployed to assess damage, assist survivors and check coastal areas for further tsunami activity. The meteorological agency kept people advised to stay clear of the shore until the warning was lifted.
Indonesia sits on major seismic faults and frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, making such events a recurring hazard for the archipelago of more than 280 million people.
Agencies reporting on the event included Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency, the national Search and Rescue Agency and meteorological service, with international monitoring groups also tracking aftershocks and sea-level changes.
