UPDATED Nov. 14, 2014, 9:45 p.m. PT
Forecasters have called off hazardous tsunami waves once expected to hit parts of Indonesia's coastline after a 7.3 earthquake struck the waters of the world's largest archipelago nation.
There is no longer a #tsunami threat from the #earthquake near Halmahera, Indonesia. #PTWC http://t.co/Mt1xQweha4— NWS PTWC (@NWS_PTWC) November 15, 2014
The National Weather Service's Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had earlier predicted 3-foot waves to strike Indonesia while smaller waves may reach the Philippines.
UPDATE: Hazardous #tsunami waves are now possible for some coasts in Indonesia due to the #earthquake. #PTWC http://t.co/C6Du5gCkek— NWS PTWC (@NWS_PTWC) November 15, 2014
The earthquake occurred in Halmahera, Indonesia at 2:32 a.m. UTC on Saturday, or 6:32 p.m. PT Friday, according to the Tsunami Warning Center. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake hit 154 kilometers (96 miles) northwest of Kota Ternate at a depth of 47 kilometers (29 miles).
There are no immediate reports of casualties or damage.
Indonesia is prone to earthquakes due to its location on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
In 2004, a monster temblor off Aceh shores triggered a tsunami that killed 230,000 people in a dozen countries. Most of the deaths were in Aceh.
Additional reporting by The Associated Press