Indonesia Ends Tsunami Warning After Philippines Quake; Waves Measured Up to 75cm

Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has officially concluded its tsunami early warning, which was issued following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in the Sulawesi Sea, off the southern coast of Mindanao, Philippines. The agency's decision came after monitoring confirmed that there were no further significant and dangerous sea level rises.

BMKG Head Teuku Faisal Fathani stated that the early warning was officially lifted at 10:15 AM Western Indonesian Time. "After observing the latest conditions related to the results of observations in several affected areas, there is no longer a significant sea level rise that is dangerous, so the tsunami early warning is declared over," he announced in Jakarta on Monday.

Fathani explained that lifting the warning was crucial to allow joint disaster response teams, including Basarnas, BPBD, BNPB, and the TNI and Polri, to consolidate and commence necessary rescue operations in the affected locations. Prior to the warning's end, BMKG's coastal tide gauge stations had recorded tsunami wave arrivals at several locations. The highest recorded tsunami wave reached 75 centimeters in Palengen, Sangihe, North Sulawesi, at 8:20 AM.

Other wave anomalies were detected in Paleleh, Central Sulawesi (45 cm), Melonguane (32 cm), Tahuna (30 cm), Bitung (29 cm), and in Loloda and Ternate, North Maluku, at 9 cm and 14 cm respectively. BMKG detailed that the earthquake's tremors were felt most strongly in Miangas and Melonguane, with an intensity of 6 MMI, causing plaster to fall from walls and factory chimneys to collapse. Although the tsunami warning has ended, BMKG urges the public to remain vigilant against potential building collapses due to aftershocks and to always check the structural integrity of their homes before returning.

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With attention to the latest conditions related to the results of observations in several affected areas, there is no longer a significant sea level rise that is dangerous, so the tsunami early warning is declared over.