M7.7 Earthquake Strikes Indonesia's Nagekeo, Tsunami Early Warning Issued

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Nagekeo Regency in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province on Saturday, August 15, 2026, prompting the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) to issue a tsunami early warning.

The earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 30 kilometers offshore from Mbay-Nagekeo at a depth of 15 kilometers, according to Arief Tyastama, Head of the Kupang Geophysics Station. The BMKG issued the initial tsunami threat warning at 05:58 Central Indonesian Time (WITA), with a second alert following shortly after.

The tsunami warnings cover several coastal areas in East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, and Southeast Sulawesi. In East Nusa Tenggara, the northern parts of Manggarai, Ngada, West Manggarai, Ende, and Sikka are under "Alert" status. Similarly, Selayar, Jeneponto, and Bantaeng in South Sulawesi are also on alert.

This seismic event occurred on Indonesia's Independence Day, a day usually marked by celebrations but overshadowed by the natural disaster. The earthquake's magnitude and location have raised concerns about potential tsunamis, with authorities closely monitoring the situation and advising coastal residents to remain vigilant.

“

The location was approximately 30 kilometers offshore from Mbay-Nagekeo at a depth of 15 kilometers.