An earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 hit the Northern Molucca Sea near Ternate, Indonesia on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). This led to a tsunami warning for nearby Southeast Asian countries.
While there were no immediate reports of injuries, aftershocks reaching a magnitude of 5 were reported. Indonesia issued tsunami warnings for parts of North Maluku and North Sulawesi provinces.
Authorities urged residents in cities like Ternate and Tidore to prepare for evacuation. Metro TV even showed images of buildings damaged by the quake.
Originally measured at 7.8, the earthquake’s magnitude was later revised down and was recorded at a depth of 35 km (22 miles), significantly deeper than initially thought. The epicenter was approximately 120 km (75 miles) away from Ternate, a city in North Maluku with a population exceeding 200,000.
Tsunami alerts were issued for Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, warning of possible hazardous tsunamis within 1,000 km (620 miles) of the epicenter. Coastal areas in Indonesia could see waves between 0.3 m and 1 m (0.98 ft to 3.28 ft) above tide levels, as per the Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre.
While Japan may experience waves up to 0.2 m (8 inches), the Japan Meteorological Agency believes there will be no significant damage. A tsunami warning was also issued for the Pacific region.
Indonesia is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone known for frequent earthquakes due to tectonic plate movements.
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