Phivolcs: Indonesia quake won't affect Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATE 2) — After monitoring sea-level data, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said no Pacific-wide tsunami waves are expected to be generated by a major earthquake that hit off Indonesia on Saturday morning.

In its 11:50 a.m. advisory, Phivolcs corrected its earlier alert over radio and said "there is no tsunami threat to the Philippines" from the magnitude 7.3 earthquake that occurred in Halmahera, Indonesia.

READ: Major earthquake hits Indonesia waters; tsunami possible

"Based on forecast wave heights and absence of unusual waves from sea-level data by the Davao tide guage station, there is no Pacific-wide destructive tsunami that is generated by this event," it said.

Phivolcs research specialist Ric Mancao earlier said in a dzMM report that the alert is based on information from the the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.

The US agency said hazardous tsunami waves within 300 kilometers of the epicenter along the nearby coasts of Indonesia and southern Philippines are possible.

Waves could reach up to a meter (3.28 feet) or less, it said.

"Tsunami waves are forecast to be less than 0.3 meters above the tide level for the coasts of the Philippines," the US agency said in an advisory.

154km NW of Kota Ternate, Indonesia Nov 15, 2014 10:31 AM Category: Major Magnitude: 7.3 Depth: 46.97km Source: USGS pic.twitter.com/YEDus0Bswr

— Mahar Lagmay (@nababaha) November 15, 2014