A powerful magnitude-7.4 earthquake has struck in the Molucca Sea region northeast of Indonesia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
killing at least one person and triggering a tsunami warning that was subsequently lifted, the USGS said Thursday’s quake, which was initially recorded at a magnitude of 7.8, struck at a depth of 35 km (22 miles), greater than the early figure of 10 km (six miles).
The geological survey reported aftershocks as high as magnitude 5, and Indonesia's meteorology agency reported tsunami waves in West Halmahera at 0.3m high and Bitung at 0.2m high.
Moreover, the US tsunami warning system said tsunami waves were possible in neighboring countries.
Indonesian broadcaster Metro TV reported one person had died from falling rubble in the Manado area, and video showed damaged buildings.
A Manado resident told the Reuters news agency that people ran out of their houses in panic.
There was no visible damage in her neighborhood, but items fell off shelves, and power had been cut.
Indonesia straddles the "Pacific Ring of Fire," a highly seismically active zone where different plates on the earth's crust meet and create a large number of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Regional governments in some cities, such as on Ternate and Tidore, the historic Spice Islands, were urged to prepare citizens for evacuation.
Additionally, hazardous tsunamis were possible along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia within 1,000 km of the epicentre, US tsunami warning authorities said.
