North Gorontalo, Gorontalo. Fishermen in North Gorontalo in Gorontalo Province are continuing their daily activities at sea, unfazed by a tsunami advisory issued after a powerful 8.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula.

In the coastal village of Malambe, Ponelo Kepulauan District, local fishermen reported calm seas and no signs of panic, even as authorities urged caution. “The sea remains calm despite the southern wind. There are no signs of big waves or panic among the fishermen,” said Mas’ati Timur, a local fisherman, on Wednesday.

Ponelo Village Chief Tommy Buheli confirmed he had received a tsunami advisory from the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) through WhatsApp group messages but said daily life in the community remained unaffected. “People are going about their activities as usual. It’s a hot, sunny day with only light winds,” he said.

While maintaining a high level of alert, the local administration has been broadcasting precautionary information via mosque loudspeakers to ensure public awareness. “We’re urging residents not to panic but to remain cautious,” Buheli added.

Ponelo Islands has previously conducted early disaster preparedness drills, including tsunami evacuation training. “We’ve already mapped out evacuation routes to nearby hills, so residents are familiar with what to do in the event of a disaster,” he said.

BMKG earlier announced that the quake near eastern Kamchatka could trigger a tsunami in parts of Gorontalo, Maluku, and Papua, with wave heights projected to be under 0.5 meters. The advisory specifically mentions Gorontalo City as a potential risk zone.

“While the risk remains low, residents along the coast should stay away from the shoreline for the time being,” said Andri Wijaya Bidang, head of BMKG’s Class II Geophysics Station in Gorontalo. “Please remain calm and stay informed through official channels.”

BMKG identified 10 regions across Indonesia that could be affected, along with estimated wave arrival times:

1. Talaud Islands – 2:52 p.m. Central Indonesia Time

2. Gorontalo City – 4:39 p.m. Central Indonesia Time

3. North Halmahera – 4:04 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

4. Manokwari – 4:08 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

5. Raja Ampat – 4:18 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

6. Biak Numfor – 4:21 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

7. Supiori – 4:21 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

8. Northern Sorong – 4:24 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

9. Jayapura – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

10. Sarmi – 4:30 p.m. Eastern Indonesia Time

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