A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara early on Saturday, authorities and seismological agencies reported. The United States Geological Survey said the epicentre was about 68 kilometres northwest of Ende, and the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre gave a depth of 35 kilometres.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Authority, BNPB, gave the latest toll at least 47 dead and about 50 injured, and said roughly 2,000 people had been evacuated. The agency said health facilities, schools, government offices and more than 50 homes were damaged.
Witnesses described powerful, prolonged shaking. Theresia Uta told CNN she gripped a tree in Maumere for 10 minutes until the shaking stopped. Videos on social media showed collapsing buildings and panicked residents. Reuters quoted a resident, Nona, who said her family of 13 ran from their home to save themselves.
A hospital in the village of Aeramo and the assembly hall at St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka suffered damage. The seminary’s rector, Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga, said students and nuns fled as a roof collapsed and at least one priest broke a leg after jumping from a second floor, according to the Associated Press.
Indonesia’s meteorology, climatology and geophysical agency recorded waves up to one metre at Maurole and an initial tsunami warning was later lifted. BNPB said the landscape of many islands and landslides had blocked roads and complicated access to some areas, and it deployed a helicopter and emergency teams.
Rescue Response And Wider Seismic Activity
Rescue workers from the national search and rescue agency were shown digging through rubble in footage shared by CNN Indonesia. BNPB said the priority was evacuating people, finding those trapped and treating the wounded. Several government ministries and agencies have been mobilised, BNPB added.
Seismological centres reported continued tremors after the main shock. The German Research Centre for Geosciences noted a 5.5 magnitude quake at 10 kilometres depth soon after the initial event, and further smaller quakes between magnitudes 4.9 and 5.3 followed that morning.
Additional seismic activity struck other parts of Indonesia on the same day. The USGS reported a separate 6.9 magnitude quake in northern Sumatra hours later. The Jerusalem Post cited another report that a 6.4 tremor hit northern Sumatra shortly before 6 p.m.
Flores, home to roughly two million people and known as a gateway to Komodo National Park, sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire. BNPB and international agencies cited Indonesia’s history of deadly quakes, recalling past disasters including the catastrophic 2004 Sumatra quake and tsunami that killed hundreds of thousands, and deadly earthquakes on Lombok and Sulawesi in 2018.
Authorities continue search and rescue operations as aftershocks and blocked roads hamper access to affected communities. Local and national agencies are coordinating relief while damage assessments proceed.
