Tsunami warning for Indonesia as powerful earthquake strikes

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck off the coast of Indonesia early on Saturday. According to The Korea Times, the quake hit Indonesia's Flores region with a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. Indonesia time, 68 kms north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.

The quake triggered a tsunami warning from Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency, which urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks and move to higher ground. The Vibes reported that tsunami waves of less than 1 metre were recorded in several areas, with modelling results indicating a potential tsunami in the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara.

There have been no immediate reports of casualties, although The Vibes said hundreds of people in nearby Nagekeo regency evacuated and images broadcast on Indonesian television showed damaged buildings. The initial quake was followed by two aftershocks, including one with a magnitude of 6.1, according to The Vibes.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Age, The Korea Times, The Vibes, The Sydney Morning Herald, DW English (Top Stories) — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — it may contain errors, so check the original before relying on it.