Jakarta - Indonesian authorities lifted a tsunami warning after tidal waves did not materialize following a powerful earthquake that struck the eastern province of North Maluku on Thursday morning.

An official at Indonesia's National Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMG) said that a tsunami warning had been lifted, more than 40 minutes after the 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Halmahera Island at about 7 am (0000 GMT).

"A tsunami warning had been canceled after no tidal wave took place following the quake," said the official Taufik, who like many Indonesians goes only by one name. (dpa)