At least one person has died after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake tore through eastern Indonesia on April 2, sending shockwaves across the region and briefly triggering tsunami waves.

The quake struck at around 7:48 am local time in the Northern Molucca Sea, violently shaking cities like Bitung and Ternate for up to 20 seconds. Residents ran out of their homes in panic as buildings rattled and debris fell. Watch the clipping below:

Initial reports confirm damage to multiple houses and a church, with walls cracked and structures partially collapsing under the force of the tremor. Authorities say the full scale of destruction is still being assessed.

Indonesia’s disaster agency warned that the danger is far from over, flagging the risk of aftershocks that could cause further damage in already shaken areas.

The epicentre lay hundreds of kilometres from nearby coastlines, yet the quake was strong enough to trigger tsunami activity, raising alarm across the region before the threat subsided.

Emergency teams are on the ground, scanning for more casualties and assessing structural damage as anxious residents brace for more tremors.

 

(This is a developing story and will be updated with more details.)