Powerful 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake in Indonesia Kills at Least 51

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 51 people and forcing around 5,000 to evacuate, as rescue teams struggled to clear landslide-blocked roads and search for survivors trapped under rubble.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake struck at 5:58 a.m. local time on Saturday, with its epicenter located about 68 kilometers north-northwest of the city of Ende on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, at a depth of 10 kilometers. The quake was followed by about 341 aftershocks and is considered one of the deadliest earthquakes to hit Indonesia in recent years.

Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said 36 people were seriously injured and 77 others sustained minor injuries in the quake.

According to Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), more than 3,300 people in Sikka district, one of the hardest-hit areas, have left their homes or been stranded and are taking shelter in a sports hall.

A 51-year-old resident named Nona from Talibura village told Reuters: "The earthquake was huge, the tremors were so strong that we were resting at home with my family. There were 13 people in the house, and we all ran outside to save ourselves."

In the port town of Maumere, many residents camped outside their damaged homes under tarpaulins, while others were treated in a temporary tent area outside the local hospital. "Almost all residents of Sikka do not dare stay inside, they sleep on porches or in tents outside," said Simon Sabandi, deputy regional chief, told KompasTV.

BNPB chief Lieutenant General Suharyanto said the quake destroyed at least 157 houses and damaged nearly 200 others, forcing about 2,000 residents in Nagekeo district, the area closest to the epicenter, into temporary shelters. He also said three helicopters and a rescue ship had been deployed to assist emergency response in the area, which has scattered island terrain that makes access difficult. East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said the disaster caused severe damage and building collapses across the province.

Rescue teams have not yet been able to fully reach Nagekeo, where landslides have blocked roads and disrupted communications. Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency in Maumere, said a team was trying to reach the area by ferry.

Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said more than 3,500 military and police personnel had been deployed. More than 1,300 houses were damaged and 20 gas stations remained closed due to power outages, according to state energy company Pertamina.

Officials are considering declaring a state of emergency for East Nusa Tenggara, which would unlock additional resources and funding. A tsunami warning issued shortly after the quake was lifted.

Al Jazeera reported from Jakarta that aftershocks could continue for "several days," with authorities in the northern part of the island ordering further evacuations as the true scale of damage is "emerging." Many affected areas remain inaccessible to first responders, and local authorities have urged residents to stay away from the coast and damaged buildings.

The coastal area experienced a similarly strong earthquake in December 1992, when the quake and accompanying tsunami killed more than 2,500 people on Flores Island, according to Indonesia's geophysics agency. Indonesia, a nation of about 290 million people spread across some 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," making it one of the most seismically active countries in the world.