NewzVille International
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Thursday, killing one person, damaging buildings, and sending residents fleeing into the streets in panic.
The early-morning tremor occurred in the Molucca Sea between the Sulawesi and Maluku island groups, triggering waves up to 2.5 feet high and prompting a tsunami warning, which was later lifted.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 35 kilometres. One person died when a building collapsed in Manado, while another was injured.
Dozens of aftershocks were reported in the region following the main quake. Indonesia’s national disaster agency urged citizens to remain cautious.
Indonesia and neighboring countries frequently experience earthquakes due to their location in the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia across the Pacific basin.
