Earthquake Strikes Near Indonesia

A strong earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck the southern Pacific Ocean near Indonesia on Thursday morning, local time. The event triggered tsunami alerts for several countries in the region.

Earthquake Details and Epicenter

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the epicenter of the earthquake was located approximately 79 miles (128 km) west-northwest of Ternate in North Maluku, Indonesia. The quake occurred at 5:48 a.m. local time on Thursday, which corresponds to 6:48 p.m. EDT on Wednesday.

Depth and Potential for Tsunami

The earthquake was relatively shallow, occurring at a depth of about 22 miles (35 km) below the surface. Shallow, offshore earthquakes are more likely to generate tsunami waves due to their ability to displace the seafloor more effectively.

Tsunami Alerts Issued

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has indicated that hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 621 miles (1,000 km) of the epicenter. This includes portions of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.

Potential Wave Heights

Authorities are forecasting potential waves of up to 3 feet (approximately 0.9 meters) for some Indonesian coastlines. Smaller tsunami waves are also possible for Guam, Japan, Malaysia, the Northern Marianas, Palau, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Yap.