Expert warns of potential aftershocks in Indonesia's NTT after major quake

A prominent earthquake expert from the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) has cautioned residents in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province about the ongoing risk of aftershocks following a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake on Saturday, August 15, 2026.

Professor Irwan Meilano, a leading seismologist at ITB's Faculty of Earth Sciences and Technology, explained that the recent quake originated from the Flores back-arc thrust fault. He highlighted that certain segments of this fault system have not yet experienced significant seismic activity, suggesting a potential for future tremors.

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There are still parts that have not produced an earthquake. We do not hope that happens.

Meilano pointed to historical data, noting that the region has a significant seismic history, including a magnitude 6.6 earthquake in 2009 and a series of quakes in northern Lombok in 2018. Academic studies, including national seismic hazard maps, indicate that parts of the NTT region still hold potential for seismic events.

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It is very possible, though we do not hope for it, that this earthquake could trigger adjacent segments.

"There are still parts that have not produced an earthquake. We do not hope that happens," Meilano stated, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance. He recalled the 2018 Lombok earthquake experience, where seismic activity spread to adjacent segments, suggesting a similar possibility for the current event.

While acknowledging that aftershocks typically decrease in magnitude over time, Meilano warned that tremors exceeding magnitude 6 could still inflict considerable damage. He urged the public to remain alert, as even a lower frequency of strong aftershocks poses a significant threat to the already affected areas.

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Perhaps there are many earthquakes, but they gradually get smaller. But there is still a possibility, although small, that if the earthquake is above six, it can cause significant destructive damage.