Magnitude 7.4 Earthquake Rocks Off Ternate, Indonesia, Prompting and Then Lifting Tsunami Alert

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake erupted in the Northern Molucca Sea off the coast of Ternate, Indonesia, resulting in at least one fatality and an initial tsunami alert that was later rescinded.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) clarified that the tremor, first reported as magnitude 7.8, actually occurred at a depth of 35 km, deeper than the early estimate of 10 km. Apart from the confirmed death, no other immediate injuries were reported.

The quake’s epicentre lay roughly 120 km (75 mi) from Ternate in the North Maluku province, prompting local authorities in Ternate and nearby Tidore to ready evacuation plans. Metro TV broadcast footage of damaged structures across the area.

In Manado, North Sulawesi, a building collapse buried a resident, leading to the sole confirmed death; a rescue official added that another person sustained a leg injury.

The Hawaii‑based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) warned of potentially hazardous waves within a 1,000‑km radius, affecting coastlines of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

Within thirty minutes, Indonesia’s BMKG agency recorded wave heights of up to 75 cm in North Minahasa and 20 cm in Bitung, both on Sulawesi’s northern shore, with an additional 30 cm rise in North Maluku.

Just over two hours after the event, the PTWC lifted the tsunami warning, declaring that the threat had passed.

Indonesia’s position on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes it especially vulnerable to such seismic activity, underscoring the importance of rapid monitoring and public‑safety measures.