Indonesian earthquake causes building damage, tsunami warning canceled

JAKARTA, April 2 (Reuters) – A magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck Indonesia’s northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging buildings and setting off a tsunami, authorities and witnesses said, but a watchdog said further casualties were unlikely.

Indonesia’s meteorological agency BMKG said tsunamis were reported in five locations, with the largest measuring 0.75 meters (2.46 feet) in North Minahasa, North Sulawesi province, and about 50 aftershocks were observed, with the largest measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale.

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BMKG chief Teuk Faisal Fatani said modeling initially showed a potential tsunami with waves between 0.5 meters and 3 meters (1.6 feet to 9.8 feet) high, but authorities canceled the tsunami warning late Thursday morning.

U.S. tsunami warning officials also initially said dangerous tsunamis were possible along the coasts of Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia, but later lifted the threat warning.

North Sulawesi Police Deputy Chief Awi Setiyono told reporters that part of a building used by local sports authorities in the city of Manado collapsed, killing one person as a result of falling debris.

Disaster Agency calls for caution

Indonesia is located in a tectonically complex part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active volcanic region that stretches from South America to the Russian Far East.

The epicenter of Thursday’s earthquake was about 580 kilometers (360 miles) south of the Philippine coast and 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from Malaysia’s Sabah state, at a depth of 35 kilometers (22 miles).

The U.S. Geological Survey said nine other earthquakes of magnitude 7 or greater have occurred within 150 miles (250 kilometers) of Thursday’s quake in the past 50 years, but they did not cause major damage.

Although the epicenter was less than 150 kilometers from densely populated islands such as Ternate and Sulawesi, the USGS said it expected additional casualties to be “unlikely” and economic damage to be limited.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Agency issued a warning.

“Although the earthquake was relatively small, there is a possibility of aftershocks, so vigilance is still required,” the agency said in a statement. The ministry said initial reports showed light to moderate damage to several homes and churches, and said a more detailed investigation was underway.

The report said the initial quake’s shaking was felt strongly for 10 to 20 seconds in the cities of Bitung and Ternate, with subsequent aftershocks occurring at sea, and called on the public to remain calm and follow instructions until authorities declare the situation safe.

Indonesia Disaster Agency spokesperson Abdul Muhari warned that aftershocks were still occurring and urged people to stay away from damaged buildings.

Indonesia’s Metro TV showed video footage of damaged buildings, and Manado residents told Reuters that people fled their homes in panic.

There was no obvious damage in the neighborhood, but residents said products fell off shelves and power was cut off.

Phivolcs, the Philippine seismology agency, said there was “no threat of a destructive tsunami” to the country based on the latest data, while Malaysia’s weather bureau said there was no imminent tsunami threat to the country but it was monitoring the developing situation.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center warned of the danger of waves less than 0.3 meters (1 foot) above tide level on the coasts of Guam, Japan, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Taiwan.

The Japan Meteorological Agency said waves of up to 0.2 meters (8 inches) could occur in Japan, but no damage was expected, and warned that a tsunami could occur in the Pacific Ocean.

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