At least 5 dead after powerful earthquake strikes Indonesia

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores region early Saturday, causing buildings and homes to collapse and killing at least five people. The tremor triggered panic in a region highly susceptible to seismic activity.

Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground. However, the warning was later lifted by Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency after monitoring indicated no significant sea-level changes that would threaten coastal communities.

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We are continuing to collect reports of damages and casualties, but there are communication disruptions

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake hit at 5:58 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. Several aftershocks followed the initial tremor. Preliminary reports from East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko confirmed two fatalities in Sikka Regency and three in Manggarai Regency.

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Many buildings here were damaged ... I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed

Power outages in affected cities and villages are significantly hampering the flow of information and complicating search and rescue operations. "We are continuing to collect reports of damages and casualties, but there are communication disruptions," Darmoko stated. Footage on local television showed hospital patients being evacuated as a precaution, with temporary treatment areas set up outdoors.

Residents described scenes of panic and destruction. Yohanna Embu, a resident of Sikka regency, reported that many buildings were damaged, including a collapsed waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere. At a seminary in Sikka, students and nuns fled in panic when an assembly hall roof collapsed during morning Mass, with at least one priest suffering a broken leg.

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Our students and nuns ran out in panic beneath a collapsing roof. At least one priest suffered a broken leg after jumping from the second floor of a building during the quake.