Indonesia Issues Tsunami Alert After M7.7 Sulawesi Quake

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A powerful magnitude 7.7 tectonic earthquake struck the Sulawesi Sea on Monday morning, June 8, 2026, at 06:37 Western Indonesian Time (WIB), with its epicenter located at a depth of 47 kilometers northwest of Karatung Island, North Sulawesi.

The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) promptly issued a tsunami warning for the coastal areas of North Sulawesi, Gorontalo, Central Sulawesi, North Maluku, and East Kalimantan following the tremor.

In response to the warning, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) urged residents across these five coastal regions to remain calm, stay alert, and take immediate precautionary measures by moving away from beaches toward designated safe zones, depending on local risk levels.

Tsunami Warning Status

Based on BMKG tsunami impact modeling, local governments in provincial, district, and city jurisdictions currently under Warning status are instructed to immediately guide residents to evacuate in an orderly manner to higher ground.

Abdul Muhari, Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Center, stated that the Warning status area covers several points in North Sulawesi, with estimated wave arrivals starting in the Sangihe Islands at 06:51 WIB, Manado City at 07:12 WIB, North Minahasa at 07:12 WIB, the Minahasa Islands at 07:16 WIB, North Minahasa again at 07:17 WIB, and North Bolaang Mongondow at 07:22 WIB.

"Additionally, the Warning status covers northern Gorontalo with waves expected at 07:26 WIB, followed by Buol at 07:27 WIB and Toli-Toli at 07:29 WIB in Central Sulawesi, before returning to North Sulawesi for southern North Minahasa at 07:33 WIB and southern Minahasa at 07:34 WIB," Muhari said in a written statement on Monday, June 8, 2026.

Tsunami Advisory Status 

Meanwhile, for local authorities and communities in areas under Advisory status, BNPB requested that preparedness be maintained by directing residents away from coastal zones and riverbanks, while temporarily suspending all activities in the water.

"Areas under Caution status include the Talaud Islands with an estimated arrival time of 06:58 WIB, Bitung City at 07:19 WIB, Halmahera in North Maluku at 07:29 WIB, northern Donggala in Central Sulawesi at 07:42 WIB, and southern South Minahasa at 07:42 WIB," he said, adding that similar precautions apply to Ternate City at 07:43 WIB, East Kutai in East Kalimantan at 07:44 WIB, Tidore City at 07:46 WIB, and the Bulungan region at 08:05 WIB and Nunukan at 08:14 WIB.

BNPB confirmed that conditions on the ground currently appear safe, calm, and under control. "According to initial reports from the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD) Operations Control Centers in the Talaud Islands and Manado City, the earthquake tremors in these two areas were only weakly felt for about two to three seconds," Muhari said.

According to Muhari, joint BPBD teams in each respective area are continuously conducting periodic, intensive monitoring on the ground to assess any post-earthquake impacts and ensure coastal conditions remain safe.

BNPB, he noted, continues to coordinate a unified command with joint teams from various regional agencies, including the BPBD, TNI, Polri, Basarnas, humanitarian organizations, and disaster management volunteers on the ground, who stand ready to guide and secure residents.

"The public is urged not to panic, to prioritize the safety of vulnerable groups such as the elderly, persons with disabilities, and children, and to always comply with official instructions from cross-agency officers managing the situation on the ground," he added.

"Residents are also reminded not to spread unverified information and to always rely on periodic data updates from relevant authorities and field personnel," he added.

Read: Minor Tsunami Hits North Sulawesi After M7.7 Earthquake

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