Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Shakes NTT, Prompts Tsunami Warning

A powerful tectonic earthquake measuring magnitude 7.7 struck the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) region of Indonesia on Saturday morning, causing tremors that were felt by residents as far away as Lombok, in West Nusa Tenggara.

The earthquake occurred at 05:58 WITA (Western Indonesia Time) with its epicenter located north of Mbay, Kabupaten Nagekeo, NTT. The quake's coordinates were 8.33 degrees south latitude and 121.32 degrees east longitude, with a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, according to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG).

Following the seismic event, BMKG issued an early tsunami warning. Subsequently, tsunami waves were observed in several locations. A wave of 0.19 meters was recorded in Sikka, and another of 0.36 meters was detected in Labuan Bajo, both in NTT. A wave of 0.17 meters was also observed in Dompu.

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The earthquake made us startled because it happened during the busy time of preparing children for school.

Residents in Mataram, West Nusa Tenggara, reported being startled by the strong shaking, which occurred during the busy morning hours as families prepared to send children to school. One resident, Veronika, described the tremors as feeling like a swing and lasting long enough to cause dizziness. Another Lombok resident, Adam, recounted waking up to his belongings shaking, expressing hope for the safety of those in the earthquake's epicenter.

BMKG urged the public to remain calm and to follow official information regarding the earthquake's developments and the potential for aftershocks.

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When I was sleeping, suddenly all the things in the room were shaking, it turned out to be an earthquake. Hopefully, nothing bad happens in the epicenter area.