A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, causing extensive damage and fatalities. The quake, centered in the Flores region, claimed 20 lives and injured six people. Two individuals are missing following a landslide triggered by the earthquake.

Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning, urging residents to move to higher ground. However, the warning was revoked after the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysical Agency monitored the situation and reported no significant sea level changes that posed a threat.

The United States Geological Survey reported that the quake struck at a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. local time. The epicenter was located 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende City in East Nusa Tenggara province. Several aftershocks followed the initial tremor.

Fathur Rahman, head of Maumere’s Search and Rescue Agency, stated that at least 20 bodies were recovered from affected regions, including eight people trapped in a landslide in Reok Village, Manggarai.

Six victims with severe injuries were rushed to nearby hospitals. Search and rescue teams are still looking for two villagers believed to be buried under tons of mud from the landslide caused by the quake.

On the ground, disruptions included power outages that affected cities and villages, complicating information flow and rescue efforts. Landslides in the Ende region cut the Trans-Flores Highway, a vital 700-kilometer route across Flores Island.

Television footage showed patients being evacuated from hospital buildings as a precaution. Healthcare staff moved equipment outside, including beds and oxygen cylinders, establishing temporary treatment areas to handle the emergency conditions.

The National Disaster Management Agency deployed a helicopter to support emergency response logistics and potential evacuations. Air support is crucial due to the challenging geography of East Nusa Tenggara, consisting of numerous islands with limited transport access.

Approximately 2,000 villagers in Nagekeo regency fled to temporary shelters. The earthquake was felt across Flores Island and beyond, causing significant anxiety among residents.

Local resident Yohanna Embu reported damage to several structures in Sikka regency. Panic led many to seek refuge in higher areas. In Maumere, the waiting area at the Pelni port terminal collapsed under the tremors.

At the Ritapiret Seminary in Sikka, students attending morning mass fled in panic as a hall ceiling collapsed. Father Guidelbertus Tanga noted that one priest broke a leg jumping from a second-floor building during the quake.

Panic extended to Labuan Bajo, a gateway city to Komodo National Park. Damage reports also came from Bima in West Nusa Tenggara and southern parts of Sulawesi Island.

Initially, Indonesian authorities issued tsunami alerts for parts of East and West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi, advising residents to avoid beaches and riverbanks. The agency identified the shallow undersea quake near Flores Island.

Indonesia’s geographic location on the Pacific Ring of Fire makes this archipelago prone to earthquakes and volcanic activities. Historical events highlight similar disasters:

• A 1992 tsunami in Flores killed approximately 2,500 people.
• In 2018, a 7.5 magnitude quake caused a destructive localized tsunami in Palu, leaving over 4,400 dead.
• A 7.7 quake in 2010 brought a 10-foot tsunami to the Mentawai Islands, killing over 400 people.
• In 2004, a massive 9.1 magnitude quake off Sumatra triggered a tsunami that claimed 230,000 lives across multiple countries.