Jakarta, ThedailyID — A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the coast of North Halmahera, North Maluku, on Friday morning, July 3, with strong tremors felt across several parts of eastern Indonesia. Authorities confirmed there is no tsunami threat.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) said the earthquake occurred at 9:31 a.m. WIB. The epicenter was located about 58 kilometers southwest of Pulau Doi, North Maluku, at a depth of 100 kilometers.
Residents in North Halmahera experienced the strongest shaking, with an intensity of III-IV on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale. At that level, many people indoors could feel the quake, while some people outdoors also noticed the shaking. Residents also reported rattling doors and windows, vibrating walls, and falling household items.
Meanwhile, BMKG recorded III MMI shaking in Ternate, Tidore, Sanana, and Morotai. The agency also reported II-III MMI tremors in Gorontalo City, North Gorontalo, and Bone Bolango.
BMKG confirmed that the earthquake does not have the potential to generate a tsunami.
According to BMKG Director for Earthquakes and Tsunami Wijayanto, the earthquake originated from deformation within the Molucca Sea Plate. He explained that the event belongs to the category of an intermediate-depth earthquake.
Further analysis showed that the earthquake resulted from an oblique thrust fault, a type of fault movement that combines horizontal and upward displacement.
As of Friday morning, authorities had not reported any casualties or significant damage. Officials continue to monitor the situation and urged residents to stay calm while following updates from official government channels.
