A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early Saturday, killing five people and triggering a tsunami warning that was later lifted. The quake hit the island of Flores at a depth of 15km, according to the Indonesian agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics.
Deaths and damage
The governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, said the five victims died in their sleep. Search and rescue teams are combing through rubble to free people trapped in buildings.
Several aftershocks followed, with a maximum magnitude of 6.1. Concrete reportedly fell off a terminal building at the port in Maumere, and some passengers waiting to board an inter-island ferry were thrown into the sea when the gangway collapsed.
Tsunami warning and evacuation
The tsunami warning was issued shortly after the quake and lifted around 8am local time, three hours later. Streams of people rushed inland after the warning, with residents in coastal areas fleeing to higher ground.
Arnold Welianto, who lives in Talibura village, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, told the BBC: 'I was startled awake and immediately went to my child's room.' He described 'very strong shaking' and said residents near the shoreline had already fled their homes, heading toward the hills, while the sea had receded.
Ongoing assessment
The BNPB, Indonesia's disaster mitigation agency, said in a statement: 'Residents should also avoid entering buildings, especially those that have already sustained cracks or structural damage.' It added that a rapid assessment is underway to determine casualties and impact, with information to be provided after data verification.
Around 2,000 residents are said to have been evacuated in Nagekeo, with damage to several buildings. Most residents stayed outside for fear that buildings could still collapse.
