Lead

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea off Indonesia's Ternate island early Thursday, killing at least one person and prompting a tsunami warning that was later withdrawn, according to multiple news reports.

The quake hit at a shallow depth of about 35 kilometers (21.7 miles) some 127 kilometers (79 miles) west of Ternate, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported, as cited by several outlets. The tremor was felt strongly across the region, with buildings damaged in the cities of Manado and Bitung in North Sulawesi, and in Ternate in North Maluku, according to Reuters and other sources.

Coverage Comparison

Initial reports from BBC and Deutsche Welle provided similar accounts of the event, with all sources confirming the earthquake's magnitude, depth, and the issuance of a tsunami warning that was subsequently lifted. The Hindu, citing AFP, reported that waves of up to 75 centimeters (2.5 feet) were recorded in North Minahasa, a figure consistent with DW's report of 75-centimeter waves registered at several monitoring stations around the Molucca Sea coast.

Minor discrepancies exist in the number and magnitude of aftershocks. DW reported that the USGS recorded dozens of strong aftershocks, including one as high as 6.2 magnitude, while The Hindu reported 11 aftershocks with the largest at 5.5 magnitude. These differences likely reflect the timing of reports, as aftershock counts can increase as more data is processed. Similarly, one DW report mentioned aftershocks up to 5.0 magnitude, which is not necessarily contradictory but may reflect an earlier snapshot.

The earthquake's impact on humans was a focus across reports. The confirmed death toll stands at one: a 70-year-old woman who died when a building collapsed in Manado, as confirmed by Indonesia's Search and Rescue Agency and reported by multiple outlets. The Hindu, citing a local rescue official, added that a second person suffered a leg injury and was "buried under the rubble." A separate account, carried solely by BBC, noted that another individual broke a leg after jumping from a building during the quake; this detail has not been independently verified by other sources.

Key Claims

  • A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the Molucca Sea off Ternate, Indonesia, early Thursday at a shallow depth of about 35 kilometers, according to the USGS as reported by BBC, DW, and The Hindu.
  • The quake triggered a tsunami warning for Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia, which was lifted about two hours later, as reported by BBC and DW.
  • Waves up to 75 centimeters were recorded in North Minahasa, and smaller waves (20-30 centimeters) in Bitung and North Maluku, according to Indonesia's BMKG agency, as cited by The Hindu and DW.
  • At least one person died—a 70-year-old woman crushed by building debris in Manado—according to multiple reports citing Indonesian officials.
  • A second injury was reported: a broken leg after jumping from a building, as reported by BBC only.
  • The USGS reported aftershocks, with the largest magnitude varying between 5.5 and 6.2 depending on the source and timing of reports.

Perspectives

Residents described the quake as one of the strongest they had felt in years. Isvara Safitri, a journalist in Manado, told BBC that furniture shook for several seconds and "the roads outside the house were shaking." Yayuk Oktiani in Bitung was at a market when the ground began to tremble; she fled to her child's school, which was close to the sea, and described the scene as "chaotic."

Ternate resident Budi Nurgianto, 42, told AFP (via The Hindu) that the quake "was felt strongly, and people panicked," with some leaving their houses "without having finished their shower."

The earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region with intense seismic activity, as all sources noted. Indonesia is prone to such events, but these accounts suggest this particular tremor was more severe than usual in the affected areas.