Powerful 7.7-Magnitude Earthquake Jolts Indonesia’s Flores Region, BMKG Issues Tsunami Warning

JAKARTA, Aug 15 — A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 jolted the Flores region in Indonesia early Saturday morning, triggering a tsunami warning and sending panicked residents fleeing into the streets for safety, according to the country’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG).

The agency reported that the epicenter of the shallow offshore quake was located 36 kilometres (km) northeast of Mbay in East Nusa Tenggara province, at a depth of 15 km.

Following the severe tremor, BMKG issued an immediate tsunami early warning for surrounding coastal areas, advising local authorities and residents to stay away from low-lying shorelines and riverbanks.

Strong tremors were felt across several neighboring districts, causing widespread alarm as frightened residents rushed out of buildings into open space to seek safe shelter, local media reported.

There were no immediate reports of casualties at the time of reporting.

Indonesia sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” an arc of intense seismic activity where major tectonic plates collide. Home to more than 120 active volcanoes, the archipelago nation remains one of the world’s most volcanically and seismically active countries.

–NMT