Shallow M5.8 earthquake hits offshore North Maluku, Indonesia
An earthquake measuring M5.8 was registered at 14:34 UTC on April 2, 2026, around 121 km (75 miles) west-northwest of Ternate, Indonesia, at a depth of 35.0 km (21.7 miles). The coordinates of the event were reported as 1.2°N, 126.4°E.
The quake struck offshore North Maluku, in the region’s island chain near the western part of Halmahera, a seismically active area of Indonesia. Ternate, a significant local city, is located to the southeast of the epicenter. The surroundings include small islands and maritime shipping lanes.
The area is characterized by inter-island shipping, local fishing operations, and marine transport routes. No major overland transportation or large energy infrastructure is present directly above the offshore epicenter, but ports and harbors are common on nearby islands.
There is no tsunami threat associated with this earthquake, based on its location and available data.
The significance index is 518 (on a scale that runs through 1 000), based on magnitude, felt reports, and estimated impact.
Indonesia is situated along the convergent boundary of the Australian and Eurasian plates, making it one of the world’s most tectonically active regions. The North Maluku region frequently experiences moderate to strong earthquakes due to complex fault systems and subduction processes offshore.
This information was last updated at 14:49 UTC on April 2, 2026.