A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 51 people and forcing around 5,000 residents to evacuate as rescuers battled landslides, blocked roads, damaged infrastructure and continuing aftershocks across Flores Island.
The earthquake struck on Saturday, August 15, in East Nusa Tenggara province, with the epicenter located offshore near Flores. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the earthquake at magnitude 7.7 and placed its depth at about 10 kilometers, classifying it as a shallow and potentially highly destructive event.
Indonesia’s disaster authorities said the quake left 36 people seriously injured and another 77 with minor injuries, while more than 1,300 homes were reported damaged. Emergency teams were deployed as authorities worked to reach communities isolated by landslides and damaged roads.
Roads Buried, Communities Cut Off
The disaster has created a major challenge for rescuers.
Landslides blocked important road links across Flores, including sections of the Trans-Flores route, while power and communications were disrupted in some areas. Rescue teams have been working to reach communities that were effectively cut off following the earthquake.
Reuters reported that more than 3,500 military and police personnel were being deployed to assist with rescue and relief operations. Some evacuees were sheltering in sports facilities and makeshift camps as authorities continued assessing the full scale of the destruction.
The situation remained particularly difficult in parts of Sikka, Nagekeo, Manggarai and surrounding areas, where damaged roads and unstable terrain complicated the movement of emergency crews.
Thousands Flee as Aftershocks Continue
Fear of additional shaking has kept many residents outdoors.
Reuters reported that the main earthquake was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, with authorities recording around 341 tremors in the aftermath. AP separately reported more than 235 aftershocks, illustrating how seismic activity continued across the affected region.
The continuing tremors have raised concerns about already weakened buildings collapsing and have complicated search-and-rescue operations.
Authorities have urged residents to avoid damaged structures and follow official instructions while emergency crews assess buildings and infrastructure.
Tsunami Warning Was Issued — Then Lifted
The earthquake initially triggered a tsunami warning, sending residents rushing away from coastal areas.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, or BMKG, said the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7 and occurred at a depth of about 15 kilometers. Its early tsunami modeling prompted warnings for parts of East Nusa Tenggara and neighboring areas.
Actual sea-level changes were subsequently detected at several monitoring locations, including Maumere, Labuan Bajo and other coastal areas. BMKG later declared the tsunami warning ended after monitoring showed the immediate threat had passed.
The lifting of the tsunami warning, however, did not end the danger on land. Officials continued to warn residents about aftershocks, landslides and unstable buildings.
One of Indonesia’s Deadliest Recent Earthquakes
The Flores disaster is already being described as Indonesia’s deadliest earthquake in years.
Reuters reported that the latest death toll makes the disaster the country’s deadliest earthquake since the devastating 2022 earthquake in West Java. Indonesia has repeatedly suffered catastrophic earthquakes because much of the country sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire.
The country’s recent history includes the catastrophic 2018 Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami, which killed thousands, and the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in modern history.
Flores itself has a long history of major seismic disasters, including the deadly 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami.
Rescue Operation Now Becomes a Race Against Time
With roads blocked and some communities isolated, authorities face a race against time to locate survivors and deliver food, water, medicine and other emergency supplies.
More than 5,000 people have already been evacuated, while rescue personnel continue clearing roads and searching damaged buildings.
Officials are also assessing damage to homes, schools, health facilities, fuel stations and other essential infrastructure.
The full extent of the disaster remains unclear because several areas are difficult to reach.
For families still waiting for relatives to be located, the coming hours could prove critical.
The earthquake has stopped. But across Flores, the danger is far from over.
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