A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early on Saturday, killing at least 20 people and causing widespread damage on Flores Island, a popular holiday destination.
The quake hit shortly before 5am local time, approximately 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the report. Rescue teams in the port town of Maumere, the principal settlement in Sikka Regency on Flores Island, recovered 20 bodies, said Fathur Rahman, head of the city's rescue agency. A further six people were found injured.
Death Toll Expected to Rise
Authorities have warned that the death toll is likely to increase as emergency crews continue to work through the devastation. The initial quake was followed by at least three further powerful aftershocks within half an hour, registering magnitudes of 5.9, 5.6 and 6.1.
Footage from the affected area revealed extensive damage to buildings, with residents fleeing their homes in search of safety. According to USGS estimates, more than half a million people on Flores Island are likely to have experienced very strong shaking, while several million more across the wider region may have felt moderate to strong tremors.
Tsunami Warning Issued and Lifted
In the wake of the earthquake, Indonesia's Weather, Climate, and Earthquake Information office (BMKG) issued an early tsunami warning, urging residents to move away from beaches and riverbanks and seek higher ground. The warning was later lifted.
Indonesia, home to more than 270 million people spread across roughly 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" and ranks among the world's most seismically active nations. In December 1992, a similar section of coastline was hit by a devastating earthquake, which generated a tsunami and claimed the lives of more than 2,500 people on Flores.
