A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, with the epicenter approximately 120km (75 miles) from Ternate in North Maluku province. The quake, which hit early local time, had a depth of 35 kilometers.
Initial reports indicated potential tsunami waves in neighboring countries, prompting a warning that has since been lifted. One person has been confirmed dead and some buildings sustained damage.
Indonesia is located on the “Ring of Fire” and frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. A magnitude 5.6 earthquake in 2022 killed over 600 people in West Java, and a 2018 quake and tsunami in Sulawesi resulted in more than 4,300 fatalities. The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake triggered a devastating tsunami that claimed over 230,000 lives across a dozen countries, with the majority of deaths occurring in Indonesia’s Aceh province.