Magnitude 7.4 earthquake strikes Indonesia

A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Molucca Sea on April 2, 2026, early morning local time, prompting tsunami warnings that were later lifted.

The quake occurred at around 6:48 AM local time (22:48 GMT on April 1), with its epicenter 127 km (79 miles) west-northwest of Ternate island at a shallow depth of 35 km (22 miles). Initially reported up to 7.8 by some sources, the USGS confirmed 7.4 magnitude. Tsunami waves up to 75 cm were detected in areas like North Minahasa, but no major widespread tsunami damage occurred.

This map shows the epicenter in the Molucca Sea near Maluku Islands and affected regions including parts of Sulawesi.

At least one person—a 70-year-old woman in Sulawesi—died from falling debris, with another injured in a building collapse or fall. Minor damage included collapsed buildings and houses in areas like Manggarai and Manado, but no large-scale casualties or destruction reported so far. Alerts affected nearby Philippines and Malaysia coasts, but were canceled within hours.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it prone to frequent seismic activity; this follows deadly quakes like the 2022 Cianjur event (over 600 deaths). Authorities continue monitoring for aftershocks.