JAKARTA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- A woman was found dead after a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Maluku region of eastern Indonesia early Thursday morning, according to a local search and rescue team.
The victim, a 70-year-old resident of Minahasa regency in North Sulawesi, was killed after being struck by collapsing building debris during the quake, said the search and rescue team in Manado, the capital city of North Sulawesi.
Images and videos posted on social media showed significant structural damage, with collapsed ceilings littering the ground and building frames visibly distorted.
The country's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said the earthquake had the potential to trigger a tsunami in North Maluku and North Sulawesi, issuing early warning alerts with "alert" and "caution" status.
Local governments have been urged to direct residents to evacuate, while people living in coastal areas were advised to stay away from beaches and riverbanks and follow official instructions. ■