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A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, killing at least five people and triggering a tsunami warning that was later lifted.
Mariyam Adheela
At least two dead as strong 7.7-magnitude quake strikes off Indonesia
JAKARTA — A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage across parts of East Nusa Tenggara.
The earthquake struck at around 4:58am local time near Nagekeo, on Flores Island, at a depth of 15 kilometres, according to Indonesia’s meteorological agency BMKG.
The strong tremor triggered a tsunami warning for parts of eastern Indonesia. The warning was lifted about three hours later after tsunami waves of less than one metre were recorded at several locations, with the largest reported at 0.94 metres in Maurole, Ende.
At least five people were reported dead after buildings collapsed, according to the governor of East Nusa Tenggara. Indonesia’s disaster management agency initially reported one death and four injuries, with assessments continuing.
Buildings were damaged or collapsed in several areas, while landslides, power outages and communication disruptions were also reported. Around 2,000 people in Nagekeo reportedly evacuated their homes following the earthquake and tsunami warning.
The main earthquake was followed by numerous aftershocks, including a magnitude 6.1 tremor. Authorities have continued monitoring the situation and urged residents to remain alert for further seismic activity.
