{
  "id": 970735,
  "title": "Five dead after magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off Indonesia, governor says",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/15/five-dead-after-magnitude-7-7-earthquake-strikes-off-indonesia-970735",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-15T06:16:43.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Business Recorder",
    "slug": "business-recorder",
    "url": "https://www.brecorder.com/news/40434944/five-dead-after-magnitude-77-earthquake-strikes-off-indonesia-governor-says"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "An undersea earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck off the eastern coast of Indonesia early Saturday, resulting in at least five deaths and causing panic among residents. Tsunami waves of less than 1 meter were reported in several areas, but the tsunami warning was lifted after three hours. The Governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, reported that the victims died from collapsing rubble while sleeping, as shown in a video circulating on Facebook. The incident occurred in Maumere, the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island. The earthquake triggered strong shaking across East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and parts of South Sulawesi, with residents in several areas reporting shaking that lasted approximately one minute. The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) recorded the initial quake at 4:58 a.m. at a depth of 15 km, followed by multiple aftershocks. Over 2,000 residents in Nagekeo evacuated, and damage was reported to houses, warehouses, and government facilities. Authorities also noted traffic congestion and power outages in certain parts of the regency. The earthquake occurred in the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where tectonic plates meet, resulting in numerous earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.",
  "summary": "JAKARTA: At least five people died after an earthquake of magnitude 7.7 and dozens of aftershocks struck off eastern Indonesia early on Saturday, a provincial governor said. Tsunami waves of less than 1 metre (3 feet) were recorded in several areas of the Southeast Asian nation. The tsunami warning was lifted about three hours after the quake. The governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Emanuel…",
  "key_points": [
    "Magnitude 7.7 earthquake strikes off Indonesia.",
    "At least five deaths reported, from collapsing rubble.",
    "Tsunami warning lifted after three hours."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The earthquake and resulting damage mark a significant disruption to communities in East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and parts of South Sulawesi, with thousands displaced and infrastructure affected.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}