Flores: At least five people have died after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores island before dawn on August 15, according to the governor of East Nusa Tenggara province.
The governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, stated that the victims were killed while they were sleeping after rubble from collapsing structures fell on them. The earthquake struck shortly before 5 am local time at a depth of 15 kilometres, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics agency.
The main earthquake was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including a strong tremor measuring 6.1 magnitude, raising concerns about further damage to already weakened buildings.
Search and rescue teams were deployed to areas affected by the earthquake to look for people who may have been trapped inside damaged buildings. Authorities warned residents to remain cautious as assessments of the destruction continued.
A tsunami warning was issued shortly after the earthquake but was lifted around three hours later. Residents in coastal areas had moved inland after the warning was announced.
Footage from the port in Maumere showed large pieces of concrete breaking away from a terminal building and falling onto passengers waiting to board an inter-island ferry. Some people were thrown into the sea after a gangway leading to the vessel collapsed.
The full extent of the damage remains unclear because parts of the affected region are remote and mountainous. Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, known as BNPB, said a rapid assessment was underway to verify the number of casualties and determine the scale of the destruction.
BNPB urged residents to stay calm and avoid coastal areas, while also warning people not to enter buildings that had suffered cracks or structural damage following the earthquake and aftershocks.
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