TEMPO.CO, Ternate - Hundreds of residents in the Kota Tobelo district of North Halmahera, North Maluku, chose to evacuate and seek shelter after the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami alert for North Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua.
The alert followed a magnitude 8.7 earthquake that struck the eastern coast of Russia on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.
Rohana Yusuf, a resident of Wosia Tobelo, explained that most evacuees live in coastal areas of Tobelo and fled to higher ground as a precaution.
“We decided to evacuate and leave everything behind because we want to survive. Especially after hearing the tsunami warning, we felt we had to act,” Rohana told Tempo on Wednesday.
According to her, more than a hundred people are currently taking refuge in higher areas of Kota Tobelo. The majority are women and children, staying in elevated areas as a safety measure in response to the potential tsunami.
“We’ve experienced tsunamis before, which is why we’re choosing to remain here until the authorities declare it safe,” she added.
Agus Ismail, another resident of Kota Tobelo, said the evacuees are sheltering in a highland area owned by a former North Halmahera official. The area is commonly known as the highland of Kota Tobelo.
“People are still there holding out. Most of them are women and children,” Agus said.
The North Halmahera Regency Government has called on the public to remain calm and avoid coastal and riverside areas. Residents are also urged to monitor updates from BMKG for the latest information on tsunami risks.
Kasman Hi Achmad, Deputy Regent of North Halmahera, stated that the local government is actively coordinating with BMKG and the Regional Disaster Management Agency of North Maluku Province to monitor the situation and assess the potential impact of the earthquake.
“We have also deployed teams to observe activities along the coastline,” said Kasman in a statement to Tempo.
He noted that an official advisory has been issued, asking people to stay away from beaches for the time being.
Earlier, BMKG reported that the 8.7 magnitude earthquake off Russia’s eastern coast could trigger a tsunami in several regions of Indonesia. These areas include Talaud, Gorontalo City, North Halmahera, Manokwari, Raja Ampat, Biak Numfor, Supiori, northern Sorong, Jayapura, and Sarmi in Papua.
Residents in these coastal areas are advised to stay calm, avoid the shoreline, and refer only to official updates from BMKG for accurate information.
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