A strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake hit near Indonesia’s Flores region early Saturday, causing damage to structures and prompting a tsunami alert. Authorities advised residents along the affected shores to relocate to higher elevations for safety.
The U.S Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.
Following the initial tremor, multiple aftershocks were felt, but there were no immediate reports of casualties. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, cautioning residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks.
The agency pinpointed the shallow undersea quake close to Flores island. Coastal residents were advised to remain vigilant and move to higher ground, while officials monitored coastal tide gauges for any tidal changes.
The earthquake’s impact was widely felt across Flores island, with initial assessments indicating damage to residential and public buildings. However, authorities had not yet provided estimates on the extent of the destruction or any casualties.
Yohanna Embu, a resident of Sikka in East Nusa Tenggara province, reported that several structures suffered damage from the intense shaking, prompting people to flee to safer areas. Embu mentioned witnessing the collapse of the port terminal’s waiting room in Maumere.
At St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, where students were attending morning Mass, panic ensued as the assembly hall’s roof collapsed. The seminary’s rector, Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga, recounted the chaos as students and nuns rushed out to safety under the threat of falling debris. One priest sustained a leg injury while evacuating from a building’s second floor during the quake.
Indonesia, with its vast archipelago of over 17,000 islands, is susceptible to seismic and volcanic events due to its placement on the “Ring of Fire,” a region known for active volcanoes and tectonic plate boundaries in the Pacific Basin.
A previous large earthquake in December 1992 triggered a tsunami that resulted in approximately 2,500 fatalities on Flores island, which is part of the Indonesian eastern island group.