A powerful Indonesia earthquake tsunami warning followed after a magnitude 7.4 quake struck the Northern Molucca Sea off Indonesia’s historic spice island of Ternate on Thursday, according to the United States Geological Survey. Authorities issued tsunami alerts for parts of Indonesia, while regional warnings also covered nearby Southeast Asian coastlines.
Officials reported no immediate injuries. However, aftershocks reached magnitudes of up to 5, raising concerns among affected coastal communities.
Indonesia issued tsunami warnings for parts of North Maluku and North Sulawesi after the quake struck offshore. Authorities in cities including Ternate and Tidore urged residents to prepare for possible evacuation, while Metro TV aired images showing damaged buildings.
US tsunami warning authorities said hazardous waves were possible along coastlines in Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia within 1,000 kilometres of the epicentre.
🚨 Un terremoto de magnitud 7.4 fue registrado en aguas de Indonesia por el USGS.
El sismo, con epicentro en el mar de Molucas, provocó una alerta de tsunami para Indonesia, Malasia y Filipinas. 🌊 Autoridades se mantienen en vigilancia.
📸 @SanamPervaiz01 pic.twitter.com/IttQHaNg87
— Azucena Uresti (@azucenau) April 2, 2026The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre said some Indonesian coastal areas could see waves between 0.3 and 1 metres above tide level. It also warned that Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Taiwan could face smaller waves of less than 0.3 metres above normal tide levels.
The USGS said the quake struck at a depth of 35 kilometres, deeper than the initial estimate of 10 kilometres. The agency also revised the magnitude down from an initial 7.8 to 7.4.
The epicentre lay about 120 kilometres from Ternate in North Maluku, home to more than 200,000 people. The strong tremor raised concern across the region due to its proximity to densely populated coastal areas.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said waves of up to 0.2 metres could reach parts of the country, although it did not expect damage. Still, officials warned that a tsunami could occur in the Pacific.
Indonesia frequently experiences strong earthquakes because it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity where tectonic plates meet. That location makes the country one of the world’s most earthquake-prone regions.
