Rescuers search collapsed buildings on Flores island after shallow offshore quake triggers tsunami waves, landslides and hundreds of aftershocks
JAKARTA — At least 47 people have been killed after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s eastern Flores island on Saturday, destroying homes and public buildings, triggering landslides and sending thousands of residents fleeing toward higher ground.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, or BNPB, raised the death toll as emergency teams continued searching damaged buildings for people feared trapped beneath the rubble. At least 50 people were reported injured, while around 2,000 residents were moved into temporary shelters.
The shallow earthquake struck early Saturday near Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, one of the regions of Indonesia most exposed to major seismic activity.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured the earthquake at magnitude 7.7, with its epicentre about 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende and at a depth of roughly 10 kilometres.
Maumere among hardest-hit areas
Some of the worst destruction was reported around Maumere, the main city in Sikka Regency, where rescuers recovered bodies and searched through the remains of damaged buildings.
Officials said people were trapped at several locations, making collapsed structures the immediate priority for search-and-rescue teams.
Homes, schools, health facilities and other public buildings were damaged across the affected region. Roads were also blocked by landslides, complicating efforts to reach isolated communities.
Power failures and communications disruptions added to the difficulties facing emergency workers.
Authorities warned that the number of casualties could still rise as rescue teams gain access to remote areas.
Tsunami warning sends residents fleeing
The powerful offshore earthquake initially prompted Indonesian authorities to issue a tsunami warning, sending thousands of residents in coastal communities toward higher ground.
Tsunami waves were subsequently recorded in several areas before authorities lifted the warning after determining that the immediate major tsunami threat had passed.
The earthquake was followed by a prolonged sequence of aftershocks.
More than 235 aftershocks had been recorded, including another powerful tremor above magnitude 6, according to reports citing Indonesian authorities.
Officials urged residents to stay away from heavily damaged buildings because further aftershocks could cause weakened structures to collapse.
Thousands displaced as rescue operation expands
Emergency teams, local authorities and humanitarian organisations were working to provide shelter, medical assistance and essential supplies to displaced residents.
Preparations were underway to deliver aid to roughly 2,000 people staying in temporary shelters, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
The mountainous geography of Flores presents another major challenge. Landslides have blocked roads, including sections of important transport routes, potentially leaving some villages difficult to reach.
Search-and-rescue operations were expected to continue as authorities assessed the full scale of destruction.
Indonesia's deadly seismic risk
Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast belt of tectonic boundaries where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur frequently.
Flores itself has experienced catastrophic earthquakes before. A powerful earthquake and tsunami struck the region in 1992, killing thousands of people.
Saturday’s disaster is another reminder of Indonesia’s exposure to destructive earthquakes — and authorities now face a race to locate survivors while hundreds of aftershocks continue to shake the affected region.
Meta Description: A magnitude 7.7 earthquake off Indonesia’s Flores island kills at least 47 people, triggering tsunami waves, landslides and hundreds of aftershocks as rescuers search for survivors.