Powerful Earthquake Strikes Northern Indonesia

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck off the coast of northern Indonesia on Thursday, April 2, 2026, causing buildings to collapse and prompting a tsunami warning. The strong shaking, lasting between 10 and 20 seconds, was felt in cities including Bitung in North Sulawesi province and Ternate city in North Maluku province.

Impact and Damage Assessment

Initial reports indicate light to severe damage in parts of Ternate, including damage to a church and two houses. A building belonging to the National Sports Committee of Indonesia in Manado also sustained damage. Videos released by the Search and Rescue Agency show damaged structures and flattened houses.

Casualties Reported

Indonesia’s Search and Rescue Agency confirmed that a 70-year-old woman died in a building collapse in Manado city, North Sulawesi. Another resident was also reported injured. Residents described fleeing their homes as the earthquake began.

“We had just woken up and suddenly the earthquake hit… we all ran out of the house,” said Bitung resident Marten Mandagi. “The shaking was very strong.”

Tsunami Warning and Aftermath

The earthquake generated tsunami waves up to 30 inches above normal tides, recorded at several monitoring stations along the Molucca Sea coast. Indonesia’s meteorological agency later lifted the tsunami warning. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology determined there was no destructive tsunami threat to the Philippines.

Indonesia's Seismic Activity

Indonesia, an archipelago of over 280 million people, is located on major seismic faults and experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Authorities are continuing to gather information and assess the full extent of the damage, particularly in remote villages.