02 / 10
Earthquake kills 2 off Flores, Indonesia
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake off Flores damaged buildings, prompted coastal evacuations and killed two people.
What happened
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Flores in eastern Indonesia early Saturday, damaging homes and buildings. Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to evacuate, then lifted it after waves below one metre were recorded. Officials reported two deaths and one injury.
Numbers
- 7.7Magnitude of the main earthquake
- 2Deaths reported by authorities — Early official toll
- 37Aftershocks recorded after the quake
- Below 1 metreTsunami waves recorded along coasts — After warning was lifted
Questions
- Why is Indonesia prone to earthquakes?
- Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where seismic activity extends from Japan through Southeast Asia and around the Pacific basin.
- Why was the tsunami warning lifted?
- Authorities lifted it after recording tsunami waves below one metre in several coastal areas, while continuing to monitor sea levels.
- Where has damage been documented?
- Damaged houses were photographed in Ruteng, in East Nusa Tenggara; other reports described building damage while assessments continued.
- What will authorities assess next?
- Indonesia’s disaster agency will continue assessing casualties and damage, while meteorological officials monitor sea levels after the warning’s cancellation.
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The catch
Early damage and casualty assessments remain incomplete, so the reported toll and extent of destruction may change.