A 7.4-magnitude earthquake hit the Molucca Sea near Ternate Island early Thursday at 06:48 local time (22:48 GMT), at a depth of 35 km. The quake killed at least one person and caused injuries, structural damage, and widespread panic.
The victim, a 70-year-old woman in North Sulawesi, was crushed by building debris, while another person broke a leg fleeing. Initial tsunami warnings for regions including Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Taiwan were lifted after two hours.
Residents described intense shaking lasting over a minute. Isvara Safitri from central Manado said furniture rattled violently, leaving her dizzy. In Bitung, Yayuk Oktiani recalled chaos at the local market and rushed to her child’s school near the coast as tremors intensified.
In Ternate, resident Budi Nurgianto reported walls vibrating for more than a minute, prompting mass evacuation. Manado and Bitung, located on Sulawesi, experienced power outages and damage, while two aftershocks of magnitudes 5.5 and 5.2 followed the main quake, with authorities warning of further tremors.
Search and rescue teams documented debris-strewn areas in Manado, including a sports complex, while hospitals, such as Siloam Hospital, quickly set up makeshift treatment stations outdoors and in vehicles to manage the injured.
The earthquake, one of the strongest felt in the region in the past six years, has left local communities on alert as officials continue assessing damage and monitoring aftershocks.
