Watch FIFA World Cup 2026™

LIVE, FREE and EXCLUSIVE starting June 12 2026

Tsunami alert after earthquake strikes in Indonesia

Indonesian authorities have issued a tsunami warning after a 6.9 magnitude earthquake struck in the Molucca Sea, off the northeast coast of Sulawesi island.

A shake map of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Indonesia
A shake map of the 6.9 magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Indonesia Source: USGS

A 6.9 magnitude earthquake has struck off the northeast coast of Indonesia's Sulawesi island, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for eight cities.

The quake struck out at sea at a revised depth of 36km and several smaller aftershocks followed, according to the Indonesian geophysics agency BMKG.

There were no immediate reports of casualties.

The agency had not lifted the tsunami warning over an hour after the quake, a spokesman told Reuters.

News that makes sense

Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

"We have not ended it because we are still monitoring the tide gauges for high waves ... though none have been recorded yet," official Rahmat Triyono of the agency BMKG told Kompas TV.

Residents in some cities panicked as tremors shook buildings and authorities urged people to seek higher ground.

Some hospitals in the city of Ternate, around 130km from the epicentre, sustained minor damage and had to evacuate patients, according to media.

Residents in the seaside resort city of Manado, 185km from the epicentre, said the quake was felt strongly for several seconds but no damage was reported.


1 min read

Published

Updated



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News straight to your inbox

Sign up now for daily news from Australia and around the world. You can also subscribe to Insight's weekly newsletter for in-depth features and first-person stories.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Follow SBS News

Download our apps

Listen to our podcasts

Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service

Stream now

Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world