Prabowo Orders Evacuation Following M7.6 Ternate-Bitung Earthquake
President Prabowo Subianto has received reports of a magnitude 7.6 earthquake that rocked the southwest coastal area of Batang Dua Island, Ternate, North Maluku. The earthquake was tectonic in nature, with its epicentre located at coordinates 1.25 degrees North Latitude and 126.27 degrees East Longitude, precisely in the sea 129 kilometres southeast of Bitung, North Sulawesi, at a depth of 33 kilometres.
Cabinet Secretary Lieutenant Colonel Teddy Indra Wijaya stated that President Prabowo has been monitoring the situation from the outset. The President has received information from the Head of the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto, regarding the earthquake that shook North Sulawesi to North Maluku. “Particularly in Bitung City and Ternate City, as well as Batang Dua Island,” Teddy said in a written statement on Thursday, 2 April 2026.
Teddy explained that President Prabowo has instructed Suharyanto to carry out the evacuation process as quickly as possible. He noted that elements from BNPB, TNI, Polri, and local government have been deployed to the earthquake site to check and evacuate residents. “This morning through the Head of BNPB, the President has directly ordered all apparatus and BNPB teams to evacuate affected residents as quickly as possible,” he said.
The government has urged the public to remain vigilant and not return to affected buildings until conditions are truly declared safe. “The Head of BNPB has advised residents not to resume activities in damaged buildings,” Teddy said.
This magnitude 7.6 earthquake occurred on Thursday morning, 2 April 2026, around 05:48 WIB. The shaking was felt very strongly for 10 to 20 seconds in Bitung City and surrounding areas. The earthquake was also strongly felt in Ternate City, North Maluku Province, causing panic among residents who fled their homes.
The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) reported one fatality from the earthquake. Head of the BNPB Disaster Data, Information, and Communication Centre Abdul Muhari said the victim was found lifeless among building rubble. “One resident was found lifeless in the rubble of the KONI Building at Sario Sports Field, Manado City, and has been evacuated,” he stated in a written release on Thursday.
The victim was found buried under building materials after the earthquake struck the area. A joint team consisting of Basarnas, the Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), and local residents quickly carried out evacuation at the incident site.
Based on the rapid assessment development report up to 08:00 WIB, BNPB also recorded infrastructure damage in several affected areas. One place of worship was reported damaged in Pulau Batang Dua Subdistrict, Ternate City. In addition, two houses were damaged in Ganbesi Village, South Ternate Subdistrict.