7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Kills Five on Indonesia’s Flores Island

Flores (GNP): At least five people have been confirmed dead after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island in Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara Province early Saturday morning. Provincial Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena confirmed the casualties during a press briefing, stating that the victims were killed in their sleep when rubble from collapsing structures fell on them.

The earthquake struck shortly before 5:00 AM local time at a depth of 15 kilometers, according to Indonesia’s Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics. The tremor was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including a significant 6.1 magnitude jolt that further rattled the already shaken region. A tsunami warning was issued in the immediate aftermath but was lifted approximately three hours later once the threat had passed.

Search and rescue operations are currently underway as teams work to locate and free individuals who may be trapped beneath damaged buildings. The affected area, located roughly 600 miles from Bali, is remote and mountainous, which officials say is complicating efforts to fully assess the scale of destruction.

Visual footage from the port in Maumere captured the moment large sections of concrete broke away from the terminal building, striking passengers who were waiting to board an inter-island ferry. Several individuals were reportedly thrown into the sea after the ship’s gangway collapsed under the impact. In the hours following the quake, residents were seen fleeing on motorbikes toward higher ground after authorities issued the tsunami alert.

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Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) urged residents to remain calm and avoid coastal areas until further notice. The agency specifically warned people to stay away from buildings that have sustained visible cracks or structural damage, cautioning that a rapid assessment of casualties and damage is currently in progress. Officials stated that verified figures on the impact would be released once data collection is complete.

In Nagekeo, approximately 2,000 residents were evacuated as a precautionary measure, with damage reported across multiple buildings in the area. Eyewitness accounts from affected communities described scenes of panic and rapid evacuation.

One resident from Talibura village in Sikka district recalled being jolted awake by intense shaking and rushing to check on his child before fleeing outdoors, where he found neighbors already moving toward higher ground as the sea visibly receded near the shoreline. He noted that the unusual withdrawal of seawater heightened fears of a tsunami, prompting further evacuation toward community health facilities.

Many residents in the affected coastal communities have opted to remain outdoors in the aftermath, citing continued anxiety over the frequent aftershocks and reluctance to return to potentially unstable homes. Authorities have reiterated their commitment to providing updated casualty and damage figures as verification efforts continue across the region.