7.7 earthquake rocks Indonesia as residents flee homes
Tsunami waves were recorded after the powerful offshore quake and several aftershocks; residents fled homes, a building partly collapsed and a hospital moved patients outside, though no initial damage reports were received
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the eastern coast of Indonesia early Saturday, triggering a tsunami warning and prompting residents to evacuate their homes, according to Indonesia's geophysics agency BMKG. Tsunami waves, measuring less than 1 meter (3 feet), were recorded in several regions following the seismic activity.
Early reports from Dodi Yuleova, a spokesperson for Indonesia's national disaster mitigation agency, indicated that there were no significant damages reported so far. The earthquake's intense shaking lasted for approximately a minute, particularly affecting areas like Nagekeo and Bima. Video footage, verified by Reuters, captured the aftermath in Maumere, the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island, showing a building collapsing into a cloud of dust and rubble as panicked people rushed through the streets.
A hospital in Ende district of East Nusa Tenggara Province reported that patients were being evacuated outside, as captured by Kompas TV. The main earthquake occurred at 4:58 a.m. local time, with a depth of 15 kilometers (9 miles), and was followed by several aftershocks. According to Australia's tsunami warning center, the undersea quake did not pose a threat to the Australian mainland, its islands, or territories.
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