A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia in the early morning hours, leaving at least 20 people dead, damaging infrastructure, and prompting temporary tsunami warnings.
The shallow quake occurred at 05:58 local time off the coast of Flores Island, with its epicenter located 68 kilometers from Ede in East Nusa Tenggara province, according to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Multiple aftershocks followed, reaching magnitudes up to 6.1.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency reported a preliminary death toll of 20 people. Agency official Burton Panjaitan noted that authorities were actively verifying reports from affected zones to confirm casualties and damage extent.
Local rescue officials confirmed that structural collapses contributed to casualties, including the death of a 54-year-old woman in one collapsed building, alongside at least two reported injuries. Search and rescue teams were deployed across affected districts.
Television broadcasts showed hundreds of residents fleeing damaged structures in the Nagekeo region. In Maumere, located on Flores Island, residents evacuated to higher ground after observing sea waters receding along the coastline.
Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning for potential waves ranging from 0.5 to 3 meters, advising coastal populations along northern and southern Flores to evacuate immediately. Tsunami waves measuring between 19 and 30 centimeters were recorded before officials officially lifted the warning.
Indonesia experiences frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a 40,000-kilometer horseshoe-shaped zone containing roughly 75% of the world’s volcanoes and 90% of global earthquakes.
