A powerful undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.4 struck off the coast of northern Indonesia on Thursday, April 2, 2026, toppling buildings and prompting a brief tsunami warning. The quake resulted in at least one confirmed death and injuries to several others.

Earthquake Impacts and Damage

Strong shaking, lasting between 10 and 20 seconds, was felt in Bitung, North Sulawesi province, and Ternate city in neighboring North Maluku province. These provinces border the Molucca Sea, which was the epicenter of the earthquake. Initial reports indicate light to severe damage in parts of Ternate, including damage to a church and two houses.

Resident Accounts

“We had just woken up and suddenly the earthquake hit... we all ran out of the house,” said Marten Mandagi, a resident of Bitung. “The shaking was very strong.” Videos released by the Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency showed damaged structures and flattened houses, with television stations broadcasting scenes of people evacuating buildings and gathering in the streets.

Casualties and Tsunami Waves

Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency reported that a 70-year-old woman died in a building collapse in Manado city, North Sulawesi. Another resident was also injured. In Ternate, at least three injured people were hospitalized. Tsunami waves reaching up to 75 centimeters (approximately 2.5 feet) above normal tides were recorded at monitoring stations along the Molucca Sea coast.

Tsunami Warning Lifted & Aftershocks

Indonesia’s meteorological agency lifted the tsunami warning several hours after the initial quake. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology confirmed there was no destructive tsunami threat to the Philippines, which lies north of the earthquake’s epicenter. Dozens of aftershocks followed the main quake, including one with a magnitude of 6.2.

Ongoing Assessment and Response

Authorities are continuing to gather information on the extent of the damage and potential casualties, particularly in remote villages. The full scope of the disaster is still being assessed. Indonesia, an archipelago of over 280 million people, is located on major seismic faults and is frequently affected by earthquakes.