A magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off coast of Indonesia, USGS says

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores Island, resulting in 20 fatalities and prompting a tsunami warning. The quake's epicenter was located approximately 68km north-northwest of Ende, East Nusa Tenggara province, at a depth of 10km. Within half an hour, three aftershocks measuring 5.9, 5.6, and 6.1 in magnitude struck.

The deaths occurred at L Say Maumere port, with one man and one woman losing their lives and another sustaining injuries. Extensive damage to buildings, including at the port, was reported, with the Maumere area being the most affected.

Indonesia's national disaster agency, BNPB, issued a tsunami warning for the affected coastlines, advising residents to avoid beaches and rivers. The warning was later lifted, although officials recommended that those living along the northern and southern coasts of Flores evacuate to a distance of more than two kilometers inland or onto higher ground. Australia's tsunami warning center confirmed that the earthquake did not pose a threat to the Australian mainland or its territories.

USGS estimates indicate that over half a million people on Flores Island likely experienced very strong shaking, while several million more across the wider region felt moderate to strong shaking. Authorities continue to monitor the situation and assess the risk of further aftershocks. Indonesia, a seismically active nation with over 270 million people spread across roughly 17,000 islands, is situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is among the most earthquake-prone countries in the world.

The same region was impacted by a powerful earthquake in December 1992, which triggered a tsunami that killed around 2,500 people on Flores.