A violent earthquake shook Indonesia in the early hours of Saturday, August 15, causing victims and extensive damage in several locations on the island of Flores. According to initial reports from local media, at least twenty people have lost their lives. The main shock, recorded at 5:58 local time, reached a magnitude of 7.7. The USGS, the United States Geological Survey, located the epicenter at a depth of about ten kilometers, 68 kilometers northwest of the city of Ende, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara. After the earthquake, the ground continued to shake with several aftershocks, one of which was above magnitude 6.
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Collapses, landslides, and difficulties in rescue operations
The earthquake caused the collapse of buildings and homes, leaving entire areas in critical condition. Authorities initially issued a tsunami alert, urging residents of coastal areas to move to higher ground. The warning was later lifted when the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics confirmed that sea levels did not show changes indicating an imminent risk. Despite the cancellation of the alert, the population was advised not to return to damaged homes: new tremors could further compromise already weakened structures. Rescuers are working among the rubble searching for survivors, but operations are hindered by widespread blackouts and communication problems. “We are continuing to collect reports on damage and victims, but there are communication issues,” the police reported. Landslides have also been recorded in several areas, interrupting main roads and slowing the arrival of rescue vehicles. The first victims were identified in four locations on the island, a very popular tourist destination. The provincial governor explained that many people died in their sleep, trapped by the rubble of their homes.
Gempa bumi magnitudo 7,7 mengguncang Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), pada Sabtu (15/8).
Pusat gempa berada di laut pada kedalaman 15 kilometer, sekitar 38 kilometer timur laut Mbay, Kabupaten Nagekeo.
Gempa dirasakan kuat di sejumlah wilayah NTT hingga Sulawesi Selatan. pic.twitter.com/Tti4SKgiHd
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— BBC News Indonesia (@BBCIndonesia) August 15, 2026
A country exposed to seismic risk
Indonesia is located along the so-called Pacific Ring of Fire, a vast geological belt characterized by intense seismic and volcanic activity. Its position makes the country one of the most exposed to the risk of earthquakes, often violent and destructive.
