Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Hits Eastern Indonesia

(MENAFN) A magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit the northern Molucca Sea in eastern Indonesia early Thursday, resulting in at least one death and prompting tsunami warnings across the region.

The fatality occurred in Manado, where authorities reported the victim was killed by falling debris. Footage from the area showed damaged buildings and disruption caused by the quake.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued alerts for waves potentially affecting coasts within 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of the epicenter, including parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

The earthquake struck at a depth of 35 kilometers (21.7 miles), with its epicenter located roughly 127 kilometers (79 miles) west-northwest of Ternate, a city of more than 205,000 residents.

Abdul Muhari, head of the national disaster management agency, said teams in Manado, Bitung, and Ternate were inspecting buildings and checking for additional casualties. He stated, “We are still collecting data to confirm the number of victims and the damage in each location. There have indeed been earlier reports of casualties from the Regional Disaster Management Agency, but we will provide updated details later regarding the exact figures… Our teams are still working in the field.”

A resident in Manado described people fleeing their homes in panic. While her neighborhood showed no visible structural damage, items had fallen from shelves and power outages occurred.

Authorities in several areas, including Ternate and Tidore in the historic Spice Islands, advised residents to prepare for possible evacuation. Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where tectonic plates meet, resulting in frequent earthquakes and volcanic activity.

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