At least two people were killed after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning and urge residents in coastal areas to move inland or to higher ground.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the quake occurred at 5:58 a.m. local time (21:58 GMT) with an epicenter located about 68 kilometers north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Within half an hour, the region experienced three aftershocks measuring 5.9, 5.6, and 6.1 magnitude, respectively. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed that a man and a woman died at the port of L Say Maumere, and another person was injured.
Local media footage showed significant damage to buildings, including the port area, particularly around Maumere, which was the most affected area.
The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological, and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning for affected coastal areas, urging people to stay away from beaches and riverbanks and move to higher ground. BNPB official Abdul Muhari emphasized: "We specifically urge communities along the northern coast of Flores, southern areas, and southern islands to immediately evacuate on their own."
He also advised residents to "move away from the coast, either two kilometers inland or to hilly areas higher than 10 meters." Meanwhile, Australia's tsunami warning center stated that the earthquake posed no threat to mainland Australia, its islands, or territories.
USGS estimates indicated that more than half a million people on Flores Island likely experienced very strong shaking, while millions more in the broader region felt moderate to strong tremors. Local officials said they were continuing to monitor the situation and assess the risk of aftershocks in the coming hours.
Indonesia, a nation of over 270 million people spread across about 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is one of the most seismically active countries in the world. The same coastline experienced a similar powerful earthquake in December 1992, when the quake and subsequent tsunami killed more than 2,500 people in Flores.
