Strong 7.7 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Indonesia, Damaging Homes

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, causing panic and damage. The shallow quake's epicenter was located northwest of the coastal town of Ende, approximately 68 kilometers away, according to U.S. and Indonesian authorities. The initial tremor was followed by significant aftershocks, including one measuring 6.1 magnitude.

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Suddenly it started to shake and I panicked. Patients also fled the hospital, the jolt was big. I saw some walls were cracked.

Residents in the Nagekeo regency, closest to the epicenter, rushed to higher ground as the sea receded, a potential precursor to a tsunami. Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning, urging communities along the northern coast of Flores and in southern regions to evacuate immediately. The warning advised moving at least two kilometers inland or to higher ground more than 10 meters above sea level.

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The shaking was strong. Thankfully, we were already outside the house. People were panicking, running here and there. We're evacuating for the time being... and trying to get to the hills. My family is safe. No one was harmed.

While the tsunami warning was eventually lifted, the earthquake left hundreds of houses damaged. Residents described the intense shaking and their fear. Lukas Lotar, a hospital official in Maumere, recounted patients fleeing the hospital due to the strong jolt and cracked walls. Yohanes Babo, a resident of Nagekeo, described the panic at the market and their evacuation to the hills, thankfully reporting his family was safe.

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We strongly urge our communities along the northern coast of Flores and in the southern parts, on the southern islands and across the southern region, to carry out self-evacuation immediately.