TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A powerful earthquake measuring 7.6 in magnitude struck Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia, on Thursday morning, April 2, 2026, at around 07:48 WIT (Eastern Indonesian Time), triggering panic among residents and prompting a tsunami early warning across several regions in eastern Indonesia.
According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake’s epicenter was located at coordinates 1.25° North Latitude and 126.27° East Longitude, at a depth of 62 kilometers. The tremor was widely felt across Ternate City, Tidore Islands, Sofifi, and extended to Bitung, Manado, and Minahasa in North Sulawesi.
In Ternate, the strong and prolonged shaking caused widespread panic. Residents rushed out of their homes, with hundreds gathering along main roads to seek safety.
A Tempo correspondent in the Kompleks Pohon Pala area of Central Ternate reported that the intensity of the quake forced people to flee immediately. One resident, Soleman Abdulah, said the tremor caused the walls of his house to shake violently, while several electronic items fell.
“I saw the walls vibrating and chose to run outside. When I got out, many people were already on the street,” he said.
Following the quake, BMKG issued a tsunami early warning based on initial modeling. Areas in North Maluku with potential tsunami risk include Ternate City, Tidore Islands, and Halmahera. Meanwhile, in North Sulawesi, the alert covers Bitung, the Minahasa Strait, Sangihe, and Bolaang Mongondow.
Ternate City Regional Secretary Rizal Marsaloy urged residents, especially those living in coastal areas, to remain vigilant and follow official instructions from authorities. He also advised people to stay away from the shoreline temporarily.
“We ask residents not to panic, to remain alert, and not to be influenced by unverified information,” Rizal said.
Despite the initial panic, conditions in Ternate have gradually returned to normal, with most residents resuming daily activities. However, in some areas such as Batang Dua Island, residents were reported to have taken refuge in higher ground and had yet to return home.
Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely, while BMKG has warned of possible aftershocks following the earthquake.
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