Authorities urge coastal residents to maneuver inland or to larger floor following the quake close to Flores Island.
Revealed On 15 Aug 2026
A strong magnitude 7.7 earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores Island, killing two individuals and prompting authorities to problem a tsunami warning.
The USA Geological Survey (USGS) mentioned the quake struck early on Saturday at 5:58am native time (21:58 GMT Friday), with an epicentre about 68 kilometres (42 miles) north-northwest of town of Ende, in East Nusa Tenggara province. USGS put the depth at 10km (6.2 miles).
Three aftershocks adopted inside half an hour, measuring magnitudes 5.9, 5.6 and 6.1.
In a press assertion, Indonesia’s nationwide catastrophe company, BNPB, mentioned two individuals — a person and a lady — died on the Maumere port, and one other particular person was injured.
Native media footage has proven in depth injury to buildings, together with on the port, within the aftermath of the earthquake, with areas across the Maumere area sustaining extreme affect.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Company (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning for affected coastlines, urging residents to keep away from seashores and riverbanks and transfer to larger floor.
Abdul Muhari, a BNPB official, mentioned: “We strongly urge our communities alongside the northern coast of Flores and within the southern elements, on the southern islands and throughout the southern area, to hold out self-evacuation instantly.”
Chatting with native broadcaster Kompas TV, Muhari urged residents to “transfer away from the shore, both by going greater than two kilometres inland or by shifting up into hilly areas greater than 10 metres [33ft] excessive”.
Australia’s tsunami warning centre mentioned the quake posed no menace to the Australian mainland, its islands or territories.
Extent of injury nonetheless ’rising’
USGS estimates recommend greater than half one million individuals on Flores Island are more likely to have skilled very sturdy shaking, with reasonable to sturdy shaking felt by a number of million extra individuals throughout the broader area.
Native authorities mentioned they have been persevering with to watch the state of affairs and assess the chance of additional aftershocks within the hours forward.
Reporting from the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington mentioned that the aftershocks may persist for “a number of days”, in line with native climate companies.
In northern elements of the nation, residents have been ordered to evacuate, because the extent of the injury continues to be “rising”, mentioned Washington. “Many homes have been broken.”
Washington added that native authorities are unable to succeed in a number of affected areas, which stay “locked” for first responders and help. Authorities have additionally suggested locals to keep away from the shores and buildings, she mentioned.
Indonesia, a nation of greater than 270 million individuals unfold throughout roughly 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific “Ring of Fireplace” and is without doubt one of the world’s most seismically energetic international locations.
The identical stretch of shoreline was struck by a equally highly effective earthquake in December 1992, when the quake and the tsunami it triggered killed greater than 2,500 individuals on Flores.
