Magnitude 5.4 Earthquake Shakes Waters Off Puah Island in Central Sulawesi Early Morning

An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.4 shook the waters northeast of Puah Island in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, early Sunday morning. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported the earthquake occurred at 03:57 local time and did not pose a tsunami risk.

The epicenter was located at 0.30 degrees South latitude and 123.06 degrees East longitude, with a depth of 86 kilometers. Despite not triggering a tsunami, the tremors were felt by residents in several areas, including Luwuk, Gorontalo, and Bone Bolango Regency. As of the report, BMKG had not released official information regarding any building damage or casualties.

Interestingly, just minutes before this earthquake, at 03:54 local time, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake occurred in a nearby waters area, 93 kilometers from Bonebolango, Gorontalo. This earlier quake shared the same epicenter coordinates and depth as the larger one. BMKG has advised the public to stay calm and disregard unverified information, emphasizing reliance on official communication channels for updates.