Breaking: Magnitude-7.8 earthquake strikes off coast of Indonesia

A magnitude-7.8 earthquake rocked the Flores region off the coast of Indonesia early Thursday morning, according to reports from Geoscience Australia. The temblor, which registered at a depth of 35 kilometres, was followed by a series of aftershocks. Despite the quake's power, there have been no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) confirmed the earthquake's epicentre, located 68 kilometres north-north-west of Ende, the capital of East Nusa Tenggara province. In response to the quake, Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued an early tsunami warning for certain regions, advising residents to avoid beaches and riverbanks.

The agency pinpointed the earthquake's location near Flores island. Authorities along affected coastal areas have been monitoring tide gauges for any changes. Meanwhile, Australia's tsunami warning centre has stated that the earthquake poses no threat to the Australian mainland, islands, or territories. Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, is frequently struck by earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its positioning on the Pacific Basin's Ring of Fire.