A powerful earthquake rattled Indonesia’s Flores region early Saturday, killing at least 38 people and collapsing buildings and homes, according to the country’s disaster management agency. The magnitude 7.7 quake struck at 5:58 a.m. local time at a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles), with its epicenter located 68 kilometers (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Rescuers have so far recovered at least 38 bodies, mostly in the devastated regencies of Sikka, Manggarai, and East Manggarai, said Suharyanto, head of the National Disaster Management Agency. Among the dead were 16 people pulled from a landslide in the village of Reok in Manggarai. At least 13 others were rushed to nearby hospitals, including two with serious injuries.
Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning, urging coastal residents to move to higher ground. However, the notice was lifted after scientists monitoring sea levels reported no changes, according to NPR.
East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said the quake severely damaged and collapsed buildings, and knocked out power, disrupting communications and hampering search and rescue efforts. âWe are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions,â Darmoko said.
Aftershocks and Evacuations
The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks, adding to the challenges facing emergency responders. Suharyanto said three helicopters and a rescue boat have been deployed to assist with logistics and support emergency operations, including possible evacuations if needed.
The region’s geographyâa collection of numerous islandsâpresents significant transportation and access difficulties, authorities said. About 2,000 villagers in the Nagekeo area fled their homes and sought shelter in temporary evacuation centers.
Witness Accounts of Chaos
At St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, students narrowly avoided disaster while attending morning Mass. The roof of an assembly hall collapsed, sending students and nuns fleeing in panic, according to seminary rector Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga.
âOur students and nuns ran out in panic beneath a collapsing roof,â Tanga said. âAt least one priest suffered a broken leg after jumping from the second floor of a building during the quake.â
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, sits on the Pacific âRing of Fire,â an arc of volcanoes and fault lines prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The region has a history of devastating seismic events; in 1992, a powerful undersea earthquake triggered a tsunami that killed about 2,500 people on Flores.
As rescue operations continue, officials are working to assess the full extent of the damage, with communication disruptions hampering efforts to reach affected communities. The disaster agency has pledged to coordinate relief and support for the thousands of displaced residents.
Source: www.breitbart.com â https://www.breitbart.com/asia/2026/08/15/watch-quake-rocks-indonesia-buildings-collapse-38-reported-dead/