7.7 earthquake in eastern Indonesia leaves at least 38 dead
A strong offshore quake near Flores Island killed dozens, triggered a brief tsunami warning and sent residents in eastern Indonesia scrambling for safety.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia on Saturday, killing at least 38 people and damaging homes and other buildings near Flores Island. Search and rescue teams were still looking for survivors as authorities assessed the toll.
Officials issued a tsunami warning after the quake, but later lifted it when monitoring showed no significant change in sea level, according to Indonesian authorities. Thousands of people had moved to higher ground amid fears of a wave.
The shaking was followed by dozens of aftershocks, including one measured at magnitude 6.1. Reports from the region said the quake caused panic across communities already familiar with severe seismic activity.
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where tectonic plates meet and earthquakes are common. Flores is part of the country’s eastern island chain.
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