A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 shook the Northern Molucca Sea near Indonesia’s Ternate island Thursday, resulting in structural damage and small tsunami waves, as confirmed by local authorities and eyewitness accounts.
The United States Geological Survey documented strong aftershocks, while Indonesia’s meteorology agency, BMKG, reported tsunami activity affecting West Halmahera and Bitung. One fatality from falling debris was reported by Metro TV in the Manado area, with video evidence of the destruction.
Residents in Manado described scenes of panic, though direct damage appeared minimal, with items displaced from shelves and power outages occurring. The seismic zone, part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, prompted regional governments to prepare for evacuations due to potential tsunamis along the coastlines of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
(With inputs from agencies.)