DistantNews
Support us
Nearly 50 dead after earthquake hits Indonesia
🇩🇴 Dominican Republic /Disasters & Emergencies

Nearly 50 dead after earthquake hits Indonesia

From Diario Libre · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores Island, killing nearly 50 people and forcing the evacuation of 2,000 residents.
  • The earthquake's epicenter was located northwest of Ende, a major city on Flores, at a shallow depth, causing significant damage to homes and triggering a brief tsunami alert.
  • Hospitals in the affected region had to evacuate patients, and rescue efforts are ongoing as authorities assess the full extent of the damage and casualties.

Nearly 50 people have died and 2,000 residents were evacuated after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the coast of Indonesia's Flores Island on Saturday. Search and rescue operations are underway as authorities continue to assess the impact of the tremor.

The earthquake occurred around 6:00 AM local time, with its epicenter located about 62 kilometers northwest of Ende, the most populous city on Flores. The USGS reported the quake struck at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The latest figures indicate fatalities in several districts, including Manggarai, Manggarai Oriental, and Sikka.

The whole thing started shaking, the walls cracked, and pieces of the ceiling fell on our heads.

— Santiago TinocoA Spanish resident describing the earthquake's impact in western Flores.

Authorities reported that over a hundred homes on the island sustained damage, and landslides occurred in some areas. The airport in the tourist hub of Komodo was also affected, though it remains operational. Hospitals in the region, including those in Ende, were forced to evacuate patients to outdoor areas due to insufficient temporary shelters.

Following the quake, a tsunami early warning was issued and subsequently suspended. Several coastal areas experienced minor flooding due to waves reaching up to a meter in height in the Ende district. A Spanish resident in Labuan Bajo described the terrifying experience, recounting falling debris from ceilings and cracking walls, fearing the building would collapse. Their home was left partially or fully destroyed.

We were very afraid the building would collapse on us.

— Santiago TinocoDescribing the fear experienced during the earthquake.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Diario Libre in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog