Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) lifted atsunami early warning Thursday morning after monitoring showed no significant sea level changes after a powerful magnitude-7.6 earthquake that struck the eastern Maluku region.  

A 70-year-old woman was killed in North Sulawesi's Minahasa Regency when debris from a collapsing building fell on her, according to the local search and rescue team in Manado, the provincial capital.

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said Thursday morning that a strong earthquake hit the waters southeast of Bitung City, North Sulawesi, with intense shaking lasting 10 to 20 seconds in Bitung and nearby areas.

Two aftershocks centered at sea have also been recorded, and preliminary impact data suggests light to moderate damage in Ternate.

The tremors caused panic with residents rushing out of their homes. Images and videos on social media showed major structural damage, with collapsed ceilings and visibly warped building frames.

The BNPB had issued early warning alerts with "alert" and "caution" statuses, saying that the earthquake could potentially cause a tsunami in North Maluku and North Sulawesi.  

Local governments were urged to instruct residents to evacuate, while those living in coastal areas were advised to avoid beaches and riverbanks and follow official guidance.