Magnitude 7.6 Quake, Largest Since 2022, Jolts Eastern Indonesia, Triggering Tsunami Alarms and Killing Two

JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — A massive magnitude 7.6 earthquake tore through the deep-sea trenches off the coast of Bitung on Thursday morning, rattling the eastern Indonesian provinces of North Sulawesi and North Maluku. The tremor, which struck at 6:48 a.m. local time, has already claimed two lives in the provincial capital of Manado and sent thousands of panicked residents fleeing to higher ground.

The earthquake was centered at a depth of 62 kilometers (approx. 38.5 miles) in the Molucca Sea. Nuriadin Gumeleng, a spokesperson for the North Sulawesi Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas), confirmed on Thursday that one victim died after being crushed by falling debris, while another succumbed to injuries after leaping from a shop floor in a desperate attempt to escape the swaying building.

This seismic event occurs within the "Molucca Sea Collision Zone," one of the world’s most complex tectonic crossroads. For Indonesia, a nation that sits atop the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, a magnitude 7.6 event serves as a grim stress test for its relatively new Tsunami Early Warning System (InaTEWS). While the physical damage to infrastructure in hubs like Bitung and Ternate—key nodes for Indonesia’s nickel processing and maritime trade—is still being tallied, the immediate detection of small tsunami waves highlights the persistent vulnerability of the country’s coastal economic zones to sudden maritime geological shifts.

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Tsunami Detection and Aftershocks

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued an immediate tsunami warning for several districts. Abdul Muhari, head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), stated on Thursday that sensors detected a 0.3-meter (1-foot) wave in West Halmahera at 6:08 a.m. and a 0.2-meter wave in Bitung shortly thereafter.

"Even though these waves are relatively small, this condition requires high vigilance because the potential for follow-up waves remains," Abdul said in an official statement. He urged residents in coastal areas to remain calm but stay away from the shoreline until the government issues a formal safety declaration.

The initial shock was followed by two significant aftershocks—a magnitude 5.5 and a magnitude 5.2—within the first 30 minutes of the primary event. While these subsequent tremors did not carry a tsunami risk, they hampered early assessment efforts in affected cities.

Assessing the Toll

In Ternate, North Maluku, the sheer force of the 20-second tremor caused residents to scramble from their homes at dawn. Early reports indicate moderate damage to a church in the Batang Dua Islands and at least two homes in the South Ternate district.

Across the water in Bitung, the local Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) is still conducting house-to-house assessments. The regional port, a vital link for the archipelago’s eastern logistics, is being monitored for any structural fatigue following the intense swaying.

Government officials have cautioned the public against spreading unverified information on social media. Muhammad Zulkifli, a coordinator at the Manado Geophysics Station, reiterated on Thursday that seven areas across the two provinces remain on "standby" status as authorities continue to monitor the Molucca Sea for further sea-level changes.