Strong 7.4 Quake Hits Indonesia, One Dead, Tsunami Alert Lifted

An earthquake in eastern Indonesia damaged buildings and was followed by several aftershocks. Photo: Reuters

TERNATE, April 2, 2026 — A strong earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Thursday, killing at least one person and briefly triggering tsunami warnings across the region, authorities and media reports said.

The magnitude 7.4 quake hit the Northern Molucca Sea near the city of Ternate at a depth of about 35 kilometres, according to initial assessments. The epicentre was located roughly 120 kilometres from the city, with tremors felt widely across surrounding islands.

Residents reported intense shaking lasting more than a minute, prompting people to flee buildings as structures swayed. Local authorities in Ternate and Tidore urged residents to remain alert and prepare for possible evacuation.

In Manado, a city in North Sulawesi, one person was killed when a building collapsed, while another was injured after being trapped under debris, officials said.

Tsunami warnings were issued shortly after the quake, with waves of up to 75 centimetres recorded in parts of North Sulawesi and smaller waves observed elsewhere. Authorities warned that waves between 0.5 and 3 metres were possible.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially cautioned that hazardous waves could affect coastlines within a 1,000-kilometre radius, including parts of the Philippines and Malaysia. The alert was lifted about two hours later after the threat subsided and no major tsunami materialised.

The earthquake was followed by at least 11 aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 5.5, raising concerns about further seismic activity.

Indonesia, located along the seismically active Pacific “Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.