A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Molucca Sea off Ternate early Thursday, killing at least one person and sending shockwaves of panic across parts of eastern Indonesia.
The quake hit at 06:48 local time at a depth of 35 kilometres, with its epicentre located roughly between Manado and Ternate, affecting multiple المناطق across the region.
Authorities confirmed that a 70-year-old woman in North Sulawesi died after being crushed by falling debris. Another individual suffered a broken leg after jumping from a building in an attempt to escape the tremors.
The earthquake initially triggered tsunami warnings across a wide stretch of the Pacific, with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center cautioning that waves of up to 0.3 metres could impact coastal areas including Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Taiwan. The alert was lifted approximately two hours later after no significant waves materialised.
Residents across affected areas described the tremor as unusually intense. In Manado, journalist Isvara Safitri said furniture in her home shook violently for several seconds, leaving her disoriented.
“It was really strong… My head even felt dizzy,” she said, adding that even the roads outside appeared to move. “It feels like the strongest I’ve experienced over the past six years.”
In Bitung, Yayuk Oktiani recounted how the quake struck while she was at a market.
“Everything started shaking,” she said, noting that while tremors are common in the area, “they’re never as strong as this one.”
As the shaking intensified, power outages hit several stores and residents fled in fear. Oktiani rushed to her child’s school, located near the coast, where scenes quickly descended into chaos.
“The situation there was chaotic… The teachers immediately told parents to bring their children home, even though they had only just arrived,” she said.
In Ternate, Budi Nurgianto described how the walls of his home vibrated for what felt like more than a minute, prompting him to run outside into streets filled with frightened residents.
“There were many people outside… I even saw some people leaving their house without having finished their shower,” he said.
The quake was followed by at least two significant aftershocks, measuring 5.5 and 5.2 in magnitude, with authorities warning that further tremors could occur.
Indonesia’s geological agency reported damage to buildings and multiple injuries shortly after the initial quake, though a full assessment is still underway.
Footage from rescue operations in Manado showed responders navigating debris at a damaged sports complex, with large furniture overturned and metal structures bent out of shape.
At Siloam Hospital, patients and medical staff scrambled to evacuate as the tremors struck. One patient, 69-year-old Admini, described the confusion as the quake unfolded.
“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,’” she said.
Medical personnel quickly set up emergency treatment areas outdoors and inside vehicles, assisting patients as they gathered in open spaces.
“Everyone was huddled together outside,” Admini said. “Some were in wheelchairs, others were helping each other.”
Erizia Rubyjeana
Follow us on:
