NTT M7.7 Earthquake: At Least 47 Killed, Thousands Evacuated
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) has killed at least 47 people and forced more than 5,000 people to evacuate.
A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province on August 15, 2026, resulting in at least 47 deaths and thousands of evacuations, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). Six regencies bore the brunt of the disaster, with Manggarai reporting the most fatalities at 23, followed by East Manggarai with 17. Other affected areas included Sikka, West Manggarai, Ende, and Nagekeo, each experiencing a single death.
The temblor triggered 341 aftershocks and prompted the evacuation of over 5,000 individuals. Of these, 1,356 sought refuge at Samador Sports Hall, while approximately 2,000 evacuated independently from 10 locations. In addition, evacuees were found in Bima, West Nusa Tenggara, and Selayar Islands in South Sulawesi.
BNPB spokesperson Berton SP Panjaitan emphasized the urgent need for emergency supplies, such as tents, rice, medicines, blankets, beds, mats, water tanks, and generators, for the displaced survivors. As of the evening of August 15, BNPB had documented 157 heavily damaged homes, 41 moderately damaged, and 148 lightly damaged.
In response to the catastrophe, the NTT provincial government is drafting a decree to initiate a 14-day emergency response period. Several affected regions have also adopted emergency response statuses. Manggarai, for instance, declared a 90-day disaster emergency response period from August 15 to November 13, 2026, and set up a command center. Similar actions have been taken by Ngada and East Manggarai regencies.
Rescue teams and regional disaster mitigation agencies continue working to assess damage and verify the current situation. A field hospital has been set up in Reok District, Manggarai, to provide emergency medical assistance. However, the Larantuka-Maumere road is now accessible for logistics and evacuation operations, though authorities are searching for alternate routes due to the main road connecting Ende and Nagekeo remaining blocked by earthquake damage, according to Berton.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
