A strong 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Northern Molucca Sea off Indonesia’s Ternate island on Thursday, damaging buildings, sparking panic among residents, and briefly triggering tsunami warnings across parts of the region.

The quake, recorded by the US Geological Survey, was followed by multiple aftershocks, some reaching magnitude 5. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported minor tsunami waves of up to 0.3 metres in West Halmahera and 0.2 metres in Bitung.

According to AFP, at least one person was killed in the city of Manado, North Sulawesi, after being trapped under rubble when a building collapsed. Local authorities also confirmed one injury, while footage broadcast on local media showed structural damage in several areas.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a regional tsunami alert but lifted it within two hours, saying the threat had passed based on available data. “The tsunami threat from this earthquake has now passed,” the agency said in a statement.

Residents described scenes of panic as strong tremors forced people to flee their homes. Some reported power outages and household items falling, although damage appeared uneven across affected neighborhoods.

Authorities in the Ternate and nearby Tidore islands historically known as the Spice Islands urged coastal communities to remain vigilant and prepare for possible evacuation in the immediate aftermath.

Tsunami monitoring agencies had warned that hazardous waves could affect coastlines within a 1,000-kilometer radius, including parts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia. However, both the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology and Malaysia’s meteorological department later confirmed there was no destructive tsunami threat to their territories.

Japan’s meteorological agency also cautioned that small waves of up to 0.2 metres could reach its coasts, though no damage was expected.

Indonesia, home to more than 280 million people, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly active tectonic belt prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country has a long history of deadly seismic events, including the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami that killed over 4,300 people, and the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which left more than 230,000 dead across multiple countries.

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