- Eyewitnesses recounted moments of fear as buildings shook violently
- Another individual sustained a broken leg after jumping from a building during the chaos
- The earthquake’s epicentre was located roughly between Manado and Ternate
A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Molucca Sea near Indonesia’s Ternate Island in the early hours of Thursday, leaving at least one person dead and triggering widespread panic.
Eko Hot Blog reports that he tremor occurred at about 6:48 a.m. local time at a depth of 35 kilometres. Authorities initially issued tsunami warnings across parts of the region, but these alerts were later cancelled after about two hours.
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According to reports from Indonesia’s national news agency, Antara, a 70-year-old woman in North Sulawesi lost her life after being hit by falling debris.
Another individual sustained a broken leg after jumping from a building during the chaos.
Although Indonesia is prone to frequent seismic activity, residents described the quake as unusually intense. Many said it was the strongest they had experienced in several years.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had earlier cautioned that small tsunami waves could affect coastal areas including Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Taiwan before the warning was lifted.
Eyewitnesses recounted moments of fear as buildings shook violently. A journalist based in Manado said her home trembled for several seconds, leaving her dizzy.
In Bitung, a resident described how people fled markets as power outages hit several shops during the shaking.
In Ternate, residents rushed outdoors as buildings vibrated for over a minute, with many abandoning their homes in panic.
The earthquake’s epicentre was located roughly between Manado and Ternate. It was followed by at least two aftershocks measuring 5.5 and 5.2 in magnitude, raising concerns about further tremors.
Indonesia’s geological agency confirmed structural damage and injuries in affected areas, though full details are still emerging.
Rescue teams in Manado were seen combing through debris at a damaged sports complex, while parts of a hospital facility also suffered significant damage.
At a hospital in Manado, patients and staff were forced to evacuate quickly as the quake struck.
Medical personnel set up temporary treatment points outdoors and in vehicles to attend to the injured.
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