6.7-Magnitude Earthquake Strikes off Indonesia

A powerful 6.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Indonesia on Saturday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The USGS said the earthquake occurred at 5:58pm Moscow time, with its epicenter located about 240 kilometers northwest of the city of Tobelo. The quake originated at a depth of approximately 76 kilometers beneath the seabed.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or structural damage, and no tsunami warning was issued following the tremor.

Indonesia is frequently affected by earthquakes due to its position along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone where several tectonic plates converge, stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.

The country has suffered several devastating earthquakes in recent decades. In January 2021, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Sulawesi, killing more than 100 people and displacing thousands. In 2018, a 7.5-magnitude quake followed by a tsunami hit the city of Palu, claiming more than 2,200 lives.

One of the deadliest disasters occurred in 2004, when a massive 9.1-magnitude earthquake off the coast of Aceh triggered a tsunami that killed tens of thousands of people in Indonesia alone.

Seismologists continue to monitor the region closely, warning that strong earthquakes remain a persistent risk due to Indonesia’s geological location.