In brief
An earthquake measuring 7.4 on the Richter scale struck the Molucca Sea near Indonesia's Ternate Island, leading to one fatality and injuries. The quake triggered tsunami warnings, later lifted. Eyewitnesses describe intense shaking, with reports of widespread panic in affected areas.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck in the Molucca Sea off Indonesia's Ternate island early Thursday, killing at least one person.
The quake, which struck at 06:48 local time (22:48 GMT) at a depth of 35km, sparked tsunami warnings which have since been withdrawn.
A 70-year-old woman in North Sulawesi died after being crushed by building debris, and another person broke their leg after jumping off a building, Indonesia's national news agency Antara reported.
While the region experiences high levels of seismic activity, some residents told the BBC this was one of the strongest earthquakes they have felt in at least the past six years.
The Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center initially warned that tsunami waves less than 0.3m (1 ft) were possible along the coasts of Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Taiwan. The tsunami alert was lifted after two hours.
Journalist Isvara Safitri, who lives in central Manado, recalled how furniture in her room shook for several seconds.
It was really strong... My head even felt dizzy, Safitri told BBC Indonesian.
Even the roads outside the house were shaking. Yayuk Oktiani, a Bitung resident, shared her experience of the tremors while shopping, resulting in widespread panic and evacuation orders from her child's school.
The epicenter of the quake was roughly midway between Manado and Ternate, with aftershocks registering magnitudes 5.5 and 5.2 following the initial quake. Reports confirmed damage to buildings and injuries, with search and rescue teams deployed in the affected areas.
Witnesses described chaotic scenes as residents rushed to evacuate, and hospitals scrambled to care for those injured during the quake.
