A massive 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the coast of eastern Indonesia on Friday, prompting the country to issue a tsunami warning. The quake, reported by the U.S. Geological Survey, occurred around 4:58 a.m. local time in the Flores region at a depth of 21.75 miles.
Following the initial tremor, at least three aftershocks were recorded, intensifying fears of a potential tsunami. Videos shared by residents along the Indonesian coastline depicted buildings swaying and collapsing, while crowds fled toward open areas to escape falling debris and chaos. The videos also showed the shoreline receding, an indication that the trough of a possible tsunami wave had reached the coast, exposing the seafloor and suggesting a large wave could follow.
Indonesia, an archipelago nation situated on the Pacific’s ‘Ring of Fire,’ frequently experiences seismic activity due to its location in one of the world's most tectonically active regions. Information regarding the extent of damage from this event was not immediately available.
The earthquake’s occurrence follows a significant 7.4 magnitude earthquake that impacted Colombia earlier in the week, noted as the strongest in over a decade.