A powerful 7.4-magnitude offshore earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Thursday, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor triggered warnings of potentially hazardous tsunami waves within a 1,000-kilometre radius of the epicentre.
The earthquake occurred at 6:48 a.m. local time at a depth of 35 kilometres in the Molucca Sea, near the small island of Ternate. Following the quake, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned that tsunami waves could impact coastal areas of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia.
Residents in parts of North Sulawesi, including Manado, felt strong shaking, with many people rushing outdoors in alarm.
