Indonesia Quake Kills One in Manado, Tsunami Alert Lifted

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck waters off eastern Indonesia early Thursday, killing one person and briefly raising fears of a tsunami before authorities lifted the warning.

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The quake hit at a depth of 35km in the Molucca Sea between the islands of Sulawesi and Maluku, according to the United States Geological Survey.

Strong offshore quake strikes eastern Indonesia

In the city of Manado, one person died when a building collapsed, local rescue officials said. The victim was trapped beneath debris after the structure fell during the shaking.

George Leo Mercy Randang, a local search and rescue official, said the tremor was strongly felt across the area. One other person suffered a leg injury in the incident.

Tsunami warning issued and later withdrawn

Shortly after the earthquake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a warning that hazardous tsunami waves could strike coastlines within about 1,000km of the epicentre.

The advisory covered parts of Indonesia as well as nearby countries including the Philippines and Malaysia.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency, Badan Meteorologi, Klimatologi, dan Geofisika, reported that small waves followed the quake.

Within 30 minutes, waves measuring up to 75cm were recorded in North Minahasa, while 20cm waves were detected in Bitung, both in northern Sulawesi. Another 30cm wave was observed in North Maluku province.

Roughly two hours later, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the danger had passed and cancelled the alert.

Authorities had earlier warned that waves of up to one metre were possible in parts of Indonesia, while smaller fluctuations in sea levels could reach coastal areas across the wider region.

Residents flee as shaking lasts over a minute

Witnesses said the tremor caused panic as people rushed outdoors.

Budi Nurgianto, a resident of Ternate, said he was inside his home when the shaking began.

He said he first heard the sound of walls rattling before realising an earthquake had struck. When he went outside, many neighbours had already gathered in the streets in alarm.

According to residents, the shaking continued for more than a minute, prompting some people to leave their homes immediately. Some rushed outside without finishing everyday activities such as bathing.

In Manado, a city of roughly 450,000 people, the tremor woke many residents. An AFP journalist in the area said people quickly gathered outdoors while students at a nearby school ran outside for safety.

Despite the strong shaking, he said he did not see widespread structural damage.

Aftershocks follow regional earthquake

Indonesia’s disaster monitoring agency reported 11 aftershocks following the main quake. The largest measured magnitude 5.5, officials said.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said slight sea-level changes could occur along Japan’s Pacific coast from Hokkaido to Okinawa, but it did not issue a tsunami alert.

Authorities in the Philippines and Malaysia also reported no tsunami warnings.

Indonesia frequently experiences earthquakes due to its position along the Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity where several tectonic plates meet.

One of the deadliest disasters in the region occurred in 2004, when a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Aceh triggered a massive tsunami that killed more than 170,000 people in Indonesia.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 2 April 2026

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