A magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Friday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor occurred at 11:31 local time, with its epicentre located approximately 58 kilometres west of Tobelo in North Maluku province, at a depth of 120 kilometres. Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the depth at 100 kilometres and placed the epicentre southwest of Doi Island. No tsunami warning was issued, and authorities reported no immediate damage or casualties.

Residents across North Maluku, including Ternate, Tidore, and Morotai, felt the shaking. A witness in Ternate, about 114 kilometres from the epicentre, described sudden chair movement while sitting at a roadside café, triggering momentary panic. Social media videos showed ground vibrations and people struggling to stand. The BMKG classified the event as a medium-depth earthquake, which typically causes less surface damage than shallow tremors, and urged the public to remain calm and avoid unverified information.

Separately, a magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck in the sea northeast of Hirara in Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture at 1:04 pm local time, the USGS reported. The shallow quake, at a depth of 10 kilometres, was centred about 136 kilometres north-northeast of Hirara. Japanese authorities did not issue a tsunami advisory, and there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The remote oceanic location limited the impact on populated areas.

Both events occurred along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a seismically active arc where tectonic plates converge. Indonesia and Japan experience frequent earthquakes due to their positions on this belt. The Indonesian quake’s depth and offshore location reduced the risk of surface destruction, while the Japan tremor’s distance from land similarly mitigated potential harm. As of Friday afternoon, monitoring agencies continued to assess the situation, but no significant aftershocks or secondary hazards had been reported.