At least fourteen people have been killed after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Flores early on Saturday morning. This was confirmed by the nation’s disaster mitigation agency. Scores of others have been injured, though authorities cautioned that all figures remain preliminary as search and rescue operations continue across a remote and mountainous region.
The quake hit shortly before 05:00 local time at a depth of just 15 kilometres, according to Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysics agency. Shallow earthquakes are significantly more destructive at the surface. The effects in Flores were immediate and severe. Dozens of aftershocks followed, including one measuring 6.1 in magnitude. A tsunami warning was issued but lifted approximately three hours after the initial jolt. Around 2,000 people evacuated coastal areas as a precaution, many leaving on motorbikes as the sea was seen visibly receding following the quake.
The governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, confirmed at a news conference that those who died were killed in their sleep by collapsing rubble. Video from the port in Maumere showed large sections of concrete breaking away from a terminal building. Also falling onto passengers waiting to board an inter-island ferry. Several people were thrown into the sea when a gangway to a ship collapsed.
Residents Account
Arnold Welianto, a resident of Talibura village in Sikka, told the BBC he was jolted awake by the shaking and immediately went to his child’s room.
“Once we were outside, residents in our neighbourhood, which is located close to the shoreline, had already fled their homes and were heading toward the hills,” he said.
He described watching the sea recede and mass panic spreading through the community before the evacuation was complete. He said many residents remained outdoors through the night, too afraid to return inside as aftershocks continued.
Teams are working to reach anyone still trapped in damaged buildings. Full assessment of the destruction will take time given the area’s remote terrain. Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency advised residents to stay away from coastal areas. And to also avoid entering buildings with visible cracks or structural damage.
Indonesia lies along the convergence of three major tectonic plates, making it one of the most seismically active nations. Flores has a long history of devastating earthquakes. This one struck in the dark, without warning, while families slept.
The death toll is still being counted.
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