TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has urged local governments in North Sulawesi and North Maluku to immediately declare an emergency response status following the powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia on Thursday morning, April 2.
BNPB chief Suharyanto said the declaration is necessary to ensure that central government assistance can be distributed quickly, accurately, and transparently to affected residents.
“We request all affected districts and cities to establish an emergency response status,” Suharyanto said during a virtual coordination meeting on Thursday.
He explained that if more than two districts or cities declare emergency status, the provincial government can extend the designation to the entire province.
Suharyanto stressed that declaring an emergency does not reflect a lack of local capacity, but is a standard mechanism for accelerating disaster response.
“Disasters are extraordinary events. No matter how capable the officials are, no leader can handle them alone,” he said.
Suharyanto also called on all local agencies, including the military, police, and ministries, to activate emergency response posts in affected areas.
He said authorities must prioritize residents’ basic needs, including food supplies, clean water, and clothing, especially as preliminary reports showed damage to public facilities and homes.
“Considering the reported damage to buildings, including hospitals, houses, churches, and meeting halls, these needs must be addressed immediately,” he said.
He also urged local governments to form assessment teams to continue verifying data on casualties and structural damage.
“This is so that the data, which is still partial at this stage, can become more complete as time goes by,” he said.
7.6-Magnitude Quake Triggers Tsunami Warning
The call came after a magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck waters southeast of Bitung, North Sulawesi, at 05:48 AM local time on Thursday.
According to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the quake’s epicenter was located about 129 kilometers southeast of Bitung, at a depth of 33 kilometers, and was caused by a thrust fault linked to subduction activity in the Maluku Sea.
BMKG initially issued a tsunami warning after the quake, with sea-level rises recorded in several areas, including West Halmahera (0.30 meters), Bitung (0.20 meters), Sidangoli (0.35 meters), North Minahasa (0.75 meters), Belang (0.68 meters), and Bumbulan (0.13 meters).
The agency later lifted the warning at 9:56 a.m. Central Indonesia Time after monitoring showed sea conditions had stabilized.
Damage Reported Across Three Provinces
BMKG said the earthquake was felt strongly across at least three provinces — North Maluku, North Sulawesi, and Gorontalo — with the strongest shaking reported in Ternate, where it reached V–VI on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale.
The tremor triggered panic and evacuations, with reports of falling plaster, damage to factory chimneys, and minor structural damage.
Authorities have reported at least one death so far. A 70-year-old woman in Manado was killed after being struck by falling debris, while damage was also reported at several buildings, including the KONI Sario building in Manado and a church in Ternate.
Reuters and local authorities said the tsunami warning has since been lifted, but residents were urged to remain cautious because of continuing aftershocks.
Read: Prabowo Calls for Evacuations Following M7.6 Earthquake in Ternate-Bitung
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