The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) reported a magnitude 5.7 earthquake at 2345 hours (local time) on Wednesday (13 August) with its epicentre located in the sea, approximately 65 kilometres (km) southeast of Bitung City, North Sulawesi, at a depth of 46 km.

Although the epicentre was offshore, the BMKG confirmed that the earthquake did not have the potential to trigger a tsunami. Bitung lies around 40 km east of Manado, the provincial capital, and is separated from Lembeh Island to the east by a strait.