A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, resulting in at least 38 fatalities and significant building collapses. The quake, which hit Indonesia’s Flores region with a depth of 6 miles, caused panic in an area accustomed to seismic events. Authorities reported over a dozen injuries.
The earthquake's epicenter was located 42 miles north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. The initial tremor was followed by several aftershocks. Rescuers have recovered at least 38 bodies, with many casualties concentrated in the Sikka, Manggarai, and East Manggarai regencies. A landslide in the village of Reok in Manggarai accounted for 16 of the recovered bodies.
Authorities issued a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, urging coastal residents to move to higher ground. However, the warning was later lifted as monitoring indicated no significant sea-level changes.
Communication disruptions due to power outages have complicated search and rescue efforts. Landslides triggered by the earthquake also blocked the Trans-Flores highway in Ende regency, a critical route across Flores Island. Footage from local television showed hospital patients being evacuated as a precaution, with staff setting up temporary treatment areas outdoors.
Three helicopters and a rescue vessel were deployed to aid in logistics and support emergency response, particularly crucial given the archipelago's island geography and transportation challenges. Approximately 2,000 villagers in Nagekeo regency evacuated their homes for temporary shelters.
The quake was felt across much of Flores Island, with initial reports detailing heavy damage, including the collapse of a waiting room at the Maumere port terminal. At the St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, students and nuns fled during morning Mass as the roof of an assembly hall collapsed. One priest sustained a broken leg after jumping from a second-story building.
Panic also spread to Labuan Bajo, a gateway to Komodo National Park. Damage was reported in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara province, and parts of southern Sulawesi island.
Indonesia is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, making it highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The nation has a history of devastating seismic events, including a 1992 earthquake and tsunami that killed approximately 2,500 people on Flores, a 2018 earthquake and tsunami in Palu that claimed over 4,400 lives, and a 2010 earthquake and tsunami off Sumatra that resulted in more than 400 fatalities. The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, triggered by a massive earthquake off Sumatra, caused widespread devastation, killing 230,000 people across a dozen countries.