M7.8 quake off Philippines triggers tsunami alerts for Indonesia's North Maluku, North Sulawesi
A magnitude 7.8 earthquake off Maasim, Sarangani in the southern Philippines struck Mindanao and reached Indonesia's provinces of North Maluku and North Sulawesi, as well as Malaysia's Sabah. At least 32 people were killed, 134 injured and seven missing in the broader disaster zone, with most casualties in the Philippines. Indonesian agencies issued and then lifted tsunami warnings after only small waves were observed, alongside Japan, Malaysia and the Philippines. Separately, the day's domestic news was largely economic and diplomatic: PLN Indonesia Power signaled ambitions to expand renewable-energy investment into Latin America and the Caribbean, the trade ministry eyed sub-Saharan Africa as a new export market, and Singapore's deputy PM Gan Kim Yong prepared a Jakarta visit to co-chair bilateral economic working groups.
Why it matters
Indonesia sits on the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and remains acutely sensitive to tsunami risk after disasters like the 2004 Indian Ocean and 2018 Palu events, so cross-border quakes near its eastern provinces are a recurring civil-protection concern. The diplomatic and trade items underscore Jakarta's push to diversify economic partnerships—reaching toward Latin America, Africa and deepening ties with Singapore, its largest source of FDI—as part of a broader strategy of strategic non-alignment.
🔎 Ground signal
A Republika opinion piece pushes back on reported Israeli overtures urging Indonesia to join the Abraham Accords, reaffirming the constitutional and Sukarno-era commitment to Palestine—signaling that normalization remains politically toxic domestically despite economic and OECD-accession incentives. Chinese-language coverage also flagged a 'triple sell-off' in Indonesian stocks, currency and bonds, hinting at market stress not prominent in local wires.