Powerful 7 4 Magnitude Earthquake In Indonesia S Molucca Sea Kills 1

7.4-magnitude earthquake rocks Indonesia, kills one and sets off small tsunami waves Small tsunami waves recorded as far away as Philippines, though warnings of a more widespread threat lifted Authorities lifted the tsunami warning that was issued after a powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early on Thursday. The tremor, which struck at a depth of 35km, at 6.48am local time set off small tsunami waves, killed at least one person, and damaged houses and buildings, officials said.

The warning was lifted after authorities earlier said waves were possible along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. The tremor, initially measured at 7.8, hit the Molucca Sea near the centre of the archipelago, according to the US Geological Survey. Tsunami waves were recorded at several monitoring stations less than half an hour later, including in Bitung with a height of 20cm (8in) and in West Halmahera with a height of 30cm (a foot), according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said waves of 5cm (2in) were recorded in Davao in the southern Philippines, but there was no threat for more distant areas about three hours after the quake. The epicentre of Thursday’s earthquake was located about 120km from the city of Ternate, which has a population of more than 205,000.

Strong shaking lasting 10 to 20 seconds was felt in Bitung, a coastal city in North Sulawesi province, and surrounding areas, as well as in Ternate city in neighbouring North Maluku province, according to Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency. Initial assessments showed light to moderate damage in parts of Ternate, where local disaster officials reported that one church in the Batang Dua Island district was affected and two houses were damaged in South Ternate. In Bitung, damage assessments were still underway, the agency said.

Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency reported that a 70-year-old woman died in North Sulawesi's Minahasa district, and another resident was injured. Later, the agency said that at least three injured people were hospitalised in Ternate. “At this stage, caution is still required, particularly for communities living along the coast,” disaster management agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement. He urged residents not to return to beaches or coastal areas until authorities issue an official all-clear. Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one of 6.2 magnitude, officials said.

The Associated Press said nearly 50 aftershocks had struck the region. Officials said neither aftershock had tsunami potential, though they were felt in affected areas. Residents described scenes of panic as people rushed out of homes, shops, and hospitals while buildings shook. A hospital in Manado was evacuated, with patients and staff gathering outside as cracks appeared in parts of the structure. Footage from the region showed damaged buildings, shattered glass and debris scattered across affected areas.

Several residents said that this tremor was one of the strongest they had felt in recent years. Power outages were reported in parts of the affected region as the shaking intensified. “The quake was felt strongly and around Manado … one person died and one person had a leg injury,” George Leo Mercy Randang, a search and rescue officials told AFP. The victim was “buried under the rubble” of a collapsed building, he said. “We had just woken up, and suddenly the earthquake hit...

we all ran out of the house,” Bitung resident Marten Mandagi said. “The shaking was very strong,” Mandagi said he had not seen any damage in his area. “We’re still checking whether there is damage or not. But here we are safe, there are no casualties or destruction,” he said. Ternate resident Budi Nurgianto told AFP news agency: “When I went outside, there were many people outside. They were panicked... I even saw some people leaving their house without having finished their shower.” “The situation there was chaotic...

The teachers immediately told parents to bring their children home, even though they had only just arrived,” a parent named Yayuk Oktiani, who lives in Bitung, told the BBC. A hospital patient in Manado described panic and confusion as the quake struck. “We were sitting there drinking tea... [Initially we] didn’t realise it was an earthquake. And then we heard a child scream, ‘Come down, hurry up,’” the patient who was identified by his first name only, Admini, 69, told the BBC. “Everyone was huddled together outside,” Admini said.

“Some were in wheelchairs, others were helping each other.” Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 280 million people, sits on major seismic faults and is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Officials have warned that further aftershocks remain possible and urged people to stay alert. Earlier, the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) had warned that dangerous tsunami waves could hit coastlines within 1,000km of the epicentre, including parts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Within 30 minutes of the powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake, waves reaching up to 75cm were recorded in North Minahasa and 20 centimetres in Bitung, both in northern Sulawesi, according to Indonesia’s BMKG geologocal agency. The PTWC lifted its warning just over two hours after the tremor, saying the tsunami threat had “passed”. Japan’s meteorological agency said there could be slight changes in sea levels along the coast, but no tsunami damage was expected. Authorities in the Philippines and Australia also confirmed there was no tsunami threat to their regions.

A 5.6 quake in 2022 killed over 600 people in West Java, while a devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed more than 230,000 people in several countries, mostly in Indonesia’s Aceh. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks

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