Powerful quake off Indonesia kills 20, sparks mass evacuations
By Arnold WELIANTO and Dessy SAGITA in Jakarta Rescuers combed through debris for survivors Saturday after a powerful earthquake struck off Flores island in eastern Indonesia, killing at least 20 people and sending thousands fleeing. As the full scale of the disaster unfolded, rescue official Fathur Rahman told AFP at least 20 people were confirmed […]
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale struck off the coast of Flores island in eastern Indonesia on August 15, 2026, leaving at least 20 people dead and triggering mass evacuations. The disaster sent residents fleeing to higher ground, fearing a possible tsunami. At least six were injured and two remained trapped under the rubble.
The epicentre was located approximately 68 kilometres northwest of the coastal town of Ende. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) initially issued a tsunami warning following the quake, but later lifted it. However, people were advised not to return to damaged buildings due to potential aftershocks.
The region is familiar with the risks of earthquakes, having previously experienced a devastating 9.1-magnitude tremor in 2004 that killed nearly 220,000 people in Indonesia alone.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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