JAKARTA, Indonesia — A powerful 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck in Indonesian waters early Thursday, triggering small tsunami waves, killing at least one person and damaging houses and buildings, officials said.

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The earthquake was centered in the Molucca Sea at a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles), according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Strong shaking lasting 10 to 20 seconds was felt in Bitung, a coastal city in North Sulawesi province, and surrounding areas, as well as in Ternate city in neighboring North Maluku province, Indonesia’s Disaster Management Agency reported.

Tsunami Waves Recorded

Tsunami waves were recorded at several monitoring stations less than half an hour after the quake, including in Bitung with a height of 20 centimeters (8 inches) and in West Halmahera with a height of 30 centimeters (1 foot), according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Honolulu said waves of 5 centimeters (2 inches) were recorded in Davao in the southern Philippines, but there was no threat for more distant areas about three hours after the quake.

Authorities have since lifted tsunami warnings after earlier advising that waves were possible along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Damage and Casualties

Initial assessments showed light to moderate damage in parts of Ternate, where local disaster officials reported that one church in the Batang Dua Island district was affected and two houses were damaged in South Ternate. In Bitung, damage assessments were still underway, the agency said.

Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency reported that a 70-year-old woman died in North Sulawesi’s Minahasa district, and another resident was injured. No further casualties were immediately reported.

৭.৪ প্ৰাবল্যৰ ভূমিকম্পত বিধ্বস্ত ইণ্ডোনেছিয়া।#Indonesia #earthquake pic.twitter.com/s5ruJC5rtY

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Aftershocks and Safety Warnings

At least two aftershocks were recorded following the main quake, both offshore. Officials said neither aftershock had tsunami potential, though they were felt in affected areas.

“At this stage, caution is still required, particularly for communities living along the coast,” Disaster Management Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari said in a statement. He urged residents not to return to beaches or coastal areas until authorities issue an official all-clear.

Residents’ Accounts

“We had just woken up and suddenly the earthquake hit… we all ran out of the house,” Bitung resident Marten Mandagi said. “The shaking was very strong.”

Mandagi said he had not seen any damage in his area. “We’re still checking whether there is damage or not. But here we are safe, there are no casualties or destruction,” he said.

Seismic Context

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 280 million people, sits on major seismic faults and is frequently hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The country’s location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire” makes it one of the most seismically active regions on Earth, with residents accustomed to frequent tremors but also vulnerable to devastating events such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami that killed more than 230,000 people across a dozen countries.

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For communities in North Sulawesi and North Maluku, Thursday’s earthquake served as another reminder of the seismic forces that shape life in the archipelago — and the ever-present need for vigilance in the hours after the ground stops shaking.

-Thailand News (TN)