Indonesia: Strong Earthquake Strikes Molucca Sea, Killing 1

A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit northern Indonesia, causing at least one death. The tremor, which occurred off the coast of Ternate, Indonesia, shook regions in North Sulawesi and North Maluku. Local buildings were toppled and damaged, with reports of casualties emerging from the affected areas.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck around 127 kilometers west of Ternate at a shallow depth of 35 kilometers. Shallow quakes are often more intense and destructive compared to deeper ones. A 70-year-old woman lost her life when a structure collapsed in Manado, while another resident sustained injuries. At least three individuals were hospitalized in Ternate.

“The woman was buried under the rubble,” stated Search and Rescue official George Leo Mercy Randang to AFP.

The event triggered a tsunami warning for Indonesia and nearby countries, including the Philippines and Malaysia. The US monitoring center warned of potential “hazardous tsunami waves” within 1,000 kilometers of the epicenter. However, the initial alert was later canceled after waves of up to 75 centimeters above normal levels were recorded at coastal monitoring stations.

Indonesia lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a tectonic zone known for frequent seismic and volcanic activity. The USGS noted multiple strong aftershocks, with one reaching 6.2 magnitude. To view the related video, JavaScript must be enabled, and a web browser supporting HTML5 video is recommended.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru and Karl Sexton