A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 38 people and injuring 13 others as rescuers searched damaged areas and worked to reach communities cut off by landslides.
National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto said 38 deaths had been confirmed, with two people seriously injured and 11 suffering minor injuries. About 2,000 residents evacuated their homes without waiting for official assistance.
The earthquake triggered tsunami waves of less than one metre in several parts of Indonesia. Authorities lifted the tsunami warning around three hours after the tremor.
The port town of Maumere on Flores Island was among the hardest-hit areas. Fathur Rahman, head of the local rescue agency, said emergency teams had found 20 people dead, six injured and two others trapped beneath rubble.
Rescue efforts were facing major challenges in Nagekeo, the area closest to the earthquake’s epicentre. Communications had been disrupted and landslides blocked roads leading into the region. One rescue team attempted to reach the area by car while another prepared to travel by ferry.
Around 2,000 people evacuated from Nagekeo, where houses, warehouses and government buildings were damaged, according to the national disaster agency. Traffic congestion and power outages were also reported.
East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said at least five people were killed when structures collapsed while they were sleeping.
Earlier assessments from disaster officials had reported a much lower death toll as information from affected areas was still being collected.
Videos from Maumere showed sections of a building collapsing into rubble as residents ran into the streets. Residents described the shaking as extremely strong.
Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura, said 13 members of her family were inside their home when the earthquake struck. They immediately ran outside for safety.
Strong shaking was reported across East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and parts of South Sulawesi. Some residents said the shaking continued for about a minute.
A hospital in Ende moved patients outside as a precaution, while landslides were reported in the surrounding region.
Indonesia’s geophysics agency said the main earthquake occurred at 4:58 a.m. local time at a depth of about 15 kilometres. Several aftershocks followed.
The earthquake also brought comparisons with a magnitude-7.5 earthquake that struck the same area in 1992 and caused widespread destruction.
Australia’s tsunami warning centre said the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to mainland Australia, its islands or territories.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where several tectonic plates meet and where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are frequent. Rescue teams were expected to continue searching damaged areas as authorities worked to establish the full extent of the destruction.
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