Overview
- Indonesia’s northern Molucca Sea, where a magnitude 7.4–7.6 quake struck early Thursday local time, recorded small tsunami waves and at least one death as damage checks continued.
- The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center first warned of hazardous waves for parts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, then lifted the broader alert about two hours later after gauges showed limited wave heights.
- BMKG reported waves up to 75 centimeters in North Minahasa and 20–30 centimeters in Bitung and West Halmahera, and it logged multiple aftershocks up to magnitude 5.5 as it urged coastal residents to stay cautious.
- Local disaster officials confirmed light to moderate damage to homes and a church in Ternate, and search-and-rescue teams reported one fatality in North Sulawesi tied to building collapse.
- In a separate event Wednesday morning in Japan, a magnitude 5.0 quake reached ‘lower 5’ on the shindo intensity scale, prompted bullet-train inspections and a week-long aftershock advisory, and caused no tsunami or major damage.