JAKARTA: At least twenty people were killed after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores island early Saturday, damaging buildings, forcing thousands to evacuate and triggering an initial tsunami warning that was later lifted.The main tremor struck around 6 am local time, about 68 kilometres northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province, according to data from the US Geological Survey cited by CNN. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks, with strong shaking reported across parts of Flores.CNN reported the death toll, citing Provincial Police Chief Rudi Darmoko’s updates to regional media. The USGS estimated that around 500,000 people were exposed to very strong or severe shaking.The powerful tremor damaged buildings and homes and sent residents fleeing. Indonesia’s national disaster mitigation agency, BNPB, said around 2,000 people in Nagekeo regency evacuated as a precaution. Initial assessments indicated that about 15 buildings, including homes and government offices, were damaged.A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake but was subsequently lifted after authorities determined that there was no continuing threat to coastal communities.
Multiple earthquakes struck Flores region
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake came amid a series of powerful tremors recorded in and around the Flores Sea on Saturday.India’s National Centre for Seismology reported an earlier magnitude 7.4 earthquake in Indonesia at a depth of 49 kilometres.“EQ of M: 7.4, On: 15/08/2026 03:28:24 IST, Lat: 8.557 S, Long: 121.181 E, Depth: 49 Km, Location: Indonesia,” the NCS said in a post on X.A tsunami warning was also issued following the earthquake, according to the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre.The NCS subsequently recorded a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in the Flores Sea, between the Indonesian islands of Flores and Sulawesi. The tremor occurred at 3:43 am IST at a depth of 63 kilometres.“EQ of M: 6.3, On: 15/08/2026 03:43:55 IST, Lat: 8.298 S, Long: 120.164 E, Depth: 63 Km, Location: Flores Sea,” it said in another post.A third magnitude 6.0 earthquake was recorded in the Flores Sea at 3:58 am IST at a depth of 42 kilometres.“EQ of M: 6.0, On: 15/08/2026 03:58:41 IST, Lat: 8.494 S, Long: 121.601 E, Depth: 42 Km, Location: Flores Sea,” the NCS posted on X.
Buildings damaged, residents flee
The shallow earthquake caused strong shaking across Flores, with residents reporting damage to buildings and homes.Footage from affected areas showed buildings collapsing as people rushed out of structures following the tremors. Local television footage also showed hospitals evacuating patients as a precaution.Hospital staff moved beds, IV stands, oxygen cylinders and other medical equipment outside buildings and established temporary treatment areas to deal with the situation.The earthquake also prompted residents in affected areas to move towards safer locations as authorities assessed the damage and continued rescue and relief operations.
Indonesia lifts tsunami warning
Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning following the powerful undersea earthquake and urged residents in vulnerable coastal areas to move to higher ground.The warning was later lifted after monitoring showed no continuing threat from tsunami waves.The BNPB said around 2,000 residents of Nagekeo regency had evacuated as a precaution. Authorities continued to assess damage across the affected areas as aftershocks rattled the region.Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area with extensive seismic and volcanic activity. Flores has experienced devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in the past, including a 1992 earthquake that triggered a tsunami and killed around 2,500 people.
Why Indonesia is prone to earthquakes
Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a region marked by active fault lines and volcanoes.The country has experienced several devastating earthquakes and tsunamis. In December 1992, a powerful earthquake struck Flores and triggered a tsunami that killed around 2,500 people.Shallow earthquakes can be particularly destructive because seismic waves travel a shorter distance before reaching the surface, potentially producing stronger ground shaking and greater structural damage.
