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A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Flores Island, Indonesia, resulting in 38 confirmed fatalities and injuries among residents. Search and rescue teams are actively working through the rubble as several aftershocks have been reported, including one with a magnitude of 6.1.
Search and rescue teams from Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency (BASARNAS) are actively working through the rubble in Maumere, where significant structural damage has occurred. The Indonesian government has initiated a rapid assessment of the situation to ascertain the full extent of casualties and damage, with ongoing aftershocks complicating their efforts.
The Indonesian disaster mitigation agency (BNPB) has advised residents to avoid entering damaged buildings and stated that a rapid assessment of casualties is underway. Following the earthquake, around 2,000 residents were evacuated in Nagekeo, with strong aftershocks continuing to prompt concerns about structural safety.
What remains unclear — The total number of people trapped or missing in the rubble following the earthquake has not been disclosed.
At least 38 dead following 7.7 magnitude earthquake in Indonesia
Search and rescue teams have continued combing through rubble to free people trapped in buildings after a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia.
The official death toll has risen to 38 fatalties, with several more injured as the rescue effort continues on the island of Flores.
Several aftershocks followed the earthquake on early Saturday morning, with the government issuing a tsunami warning too.
Streams of people could be seen rushing inland after the warning, with concrete reportedly falling off a terminal building at the port in Maumere.
Some passengers waiting to board the inter-island ferry were thrown into the sea as the gangway collapsed.
The tsunami warning was lifted around 8am local time, three hours after the main quake struck the island of Flores.
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Five have died in a 7.7 magnitude earthquake (Picture: Handout / INDONESIA’S NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / AFP via Getty Images)
Flores Island was hit with several strong aftershocks (Picture: ARNOLD WELIANTO / AFP via Getty Images)
The Indonesian agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics said in a statement the quake had a depth of 15km.
‘Residents should also avoid entering buildings, especially those that have already sustained cracks or structural damage,’ the BNPB – Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency – said.
‘A rapid assessment is currently underway to determine the number of casualties and the extent of the impact. We will provide that information after the data has been verified.’
Locals were mainly asleep when the earthquake began, waking up to ‘very strong shaking’ as the disaster unfolded.
Arnold Welianto, who lives in Talibura village, Sikka, East Nusa Tenggara, told the BBC: ‘I was startled awake and immediately went to my child’s room.
The government had warned about a potential tsunami (Picture: Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Indonesia’s National Search and Rescue Agency are still working through the rubble (Picture: Handout / INDONESIA’S NATIONAL SEARCH AND RESCUE AGENCY (BASARNAS) / AFP via Getty Images)
The Laurensius Say Port in Maumere crumbled (Picture: ARNOLD WELIANTO / AFP via Getty Images)
‘Once we were outside, residents in our neighbourhood, which is located close to the shoreline, had already fled their homes and were heading toward the hills and crowding the roads, while some other residents were standing along the roadside because the sea had also receded.’
He said the water levels caused people to ‘panic and run’ as it remained low for ‘quite some time’.
Around 2,000 residents are said to have been evacuated in Nagekeo, with damage to several buildings.
Strong aftershocks were felt around the area, with a max magnitude of 6.1, as most residents stayed outside for fear that the buildings could still collapse.
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