A Series of Facts on the North Sulawesi-North Maluku Earthquake

A tectonic earthquake measuring 7.6 on the magnitude scale was felt in several areas of North Sulawesi Province and North Maluku on Thursday, 2 April 2026, around 05:48 WIB. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the epicentre at coordinates 1.25 degrees North Latitude and 126.27 degrees East Longitude, or 129 kilometres southeast of Bitung, North Sulawesi. “The epicentre is located at sea at a depth of 33 kilometres,” said BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani during a teleconference at the BMKG office on Thursday, 2 April 2026. Potential Tsunami with Heights of 0.5-3 Metres Faisal stated that the Bitung earthquake has the potential to cause a tsunami with wave heights ranging from 0.5 to 3 metres. Modelling results indicate potential tsunamis in the Ternate, Halmahera, Tidore, and Bitung areas. Up to 07:00 WIB, he continued, BMKG monitoring showed 11 aftershock activities with the largest magnitude of 5.5. “Sea level observation results show that tsunamis were detected at three newly reported locations: West Halmahera at 06:08 WIB with a height of 0.3 metres, then Bitung at 06:15 WIB with a height of 0.2 metres, and North Minahasa at 06:16 WIB with a height of 0.75 metres,” he said. Halmahera Hit by Small Tsunami The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) stated that the early warning system detected tsunami waves with relatively small heights following the tectonic earthquake that struck several areas in North Sulawesi and North Maluku yesterday. Head of the BNPB Data, Information, and Disaster Communication Centre Abdul Muhari said a tsunami with a height of 0.3 metres occurred in West Halmahera at 06:08 WIB and in Bitung seven minutes later. “At 06:15 WIB, a tsunami with a height of 0.2 metres occurred in Bitung,” said Abdul in a written statement on Thursday. Although relatively small, he said, BNPB still urged the public to remain vigilant. Because the potential for follow-up waves still exists. Regions Declare Emergency Response The Ternate City Government has declared a disaster emergency status following the 7.6 magnitude tectonic earthquake that struck several areas in North Sulawesi and North Maluku. Ternate Mayor Tauhid Soleman said the declaration of disaster emergency status began on Thursday, 2 April 2026, for the next seven days. “Today, I will sign the decree on the disaster emergency status. I have also ordered the Regional Disaster Management Agency to move to the disaster locations in Batang Dua, Moti, and Ternate Island,” said Tauhid, who was met by Tempo after a disaster management meeting in Ternate on Thursday, 2 April 2026. From the information obtained, he said, several basic infrastructures, such as places of worship, schools, and residents’ homes, in the Batang Dua to Ternate areas, suffered damage due to the earthquake. 93 Aftershocks BMKG reported 93 aftershocks occurred after the 7.6 magnitude tectonic earthquake shook the sea area southeast of Bitung City on Thursday, 2 April 2026. This number of aftershocks was recorded up to 12:00 WIB. BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani said the aftershocks had varying strengths, from magnitude 2.8 to 5.8. “With magnitudes 2.8-5.8, seven earthquakes were felt,” said Faisal during an online earthquake handling coordination meeting on Thursday. He predicted that aftershocks still have the potential to occur in the coming days. “Usually after one or two days, the trend will be studied to see if it can end in one week, sometimes two weeks. This depends on the situation there,” he said. North Sulawesi-North Maluku High Earthquake Potential BNPB Head Lieutenant General Suharyanto said that North Sulawesi and North Maluku are regions with quite high earthquake potential in Indonesia. Based on BNPB data, earthquakes in both regions have frequently occurred since 1608. Therefore, he said, in North Sulawesi and North Maluku, Regional Disaster Management Agencies are equipped with earthquake and tsunami early warning devices to accelerate the delivery of information and mitigation processes. “This is a joint concern. We must remind each other so that the public is more alert, more careful, and always improves readiness and preparedness,” said Suharyanto during an online earthquake handling coordination meeting on Thursday, 2 April 2026. Prabowo Orders Evacuation President Prabowo Subianto has received reports of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake that shook the southwest coastal area of Batang Dua Island, Ternate, North Maluku. Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya said the President has been monitoring the situation since the beginning. The President has received information from the BNPB Head regarding the earthquake that shook North Sulawesi to North Maluku. “Especially in Bitung City and Ternate City as well as Batang Dua Island,” said Teddy in a written statement on Thursday, 2 April 2026. Teddy explained that Prabowo gave instructions to Suharyanto to carry out the evacuation process as soon as possible. He explained that BNPB elements, TNI, Polri, to local governments have been deployed to the earthquake location to check and evacuate residents. “This morning, through the BNPB Head, the President has directly ordered all apparatus and BNPB teams to evacuate affected residents as quickly as possible,” he said.