The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has canceled the tsunami warning following a strong 7.4 magnitude earthquake in the Molucca Sea, eastern Indonesia, early Thursday morning. The quake generated 75-centimeter-high sea waves and caused a building collapse that resulted in one fatality among local residents.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck the Molucca Sea, located between the Sulawesi and Maluku islands, at a shallow depth of only 35 kilometers early this morning (2 April) local time.
Rescue officials in Manado city, North Sulawesi province, revealed that the severe tremors caused a building to collapse, killing one resident and injuring another person in the leg.
Budi Nurgianto, a 42-year-old resident of Ternate city, recounted the frightening moments: “The earthquake was very strong. I heard the walls shaking, and as soon as I realized, I ran outside to see what was happening. I saw neighbors panicking; some ran out even though they hadn’t finished showering.” He added that the shaking lasted more than one minute.
Following the event, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) issued a tsunami alert covering a 1,000-kilometer radius from the epicenter, including the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, predicting waves up to one meter high.
However, data from Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) confirmed small tsunami waves of about 75 centimeters in North Minahasa and 20–30 centimeters in nearby areas. These levels were deemed not severely dangerous, leading PTWC to cancel the warning two hours later after assessing the threat had passed.
Tegu Faisal Fathani, head of BMKG, stated in a press conference in Jakarta that at least 11 aftershocks followed the main quake, the strongest measuring magnitude 5.5. Neighboring countries Japan and the Philippines reported only minor sea level changes and did not issue serious warnings.
Indonesia lies within the "Ring of Fire," an area where tectonic plates converge, causing frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. In 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake struck Aceh province, triggering a massive tsunami that killed over 170,000 people.
,AFP