Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Strikes Indonesia, Close To 1,000 Aftershocks

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake shook parts of eastern Indonesia on Saturday, including Padar Island, where tourists were seen hunkering down as the tremors hit. Authorities said dozens were injured in two separate earthquakes in Indonesia, and so far, at least 47 people are dead. pic.twitter.com/98RLboHhNR

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A building collapsed in a cloud of dust and rubble at a port in Maumere, Indonesia, after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the country's eastern coast early Saturday. pic.twitter.com/PS52Qofcj7

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A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia, leaving at least 38 people dead as emergency crews continue to assess the devastation. pic.twitter.com/ZAj8MX0L3y

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Tsunami waves of less than 1 metre (3 feet) were recorded in several areas of the Southeast Asian nation after the early-morning quake. Authorities lifted a tsunami warning about three hours later.

Earlier, rescuers in the port town of Maumere found 20 dead, six injured and two people trapped under rubble, said Fathur Rahman, head of the city’s rescue agency. Maumere ⁠is the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia.

Suharyanto, head of the BNPB, earlier said residents remained trapped in several buildings across the affected area, while there were reports of landslides blocking a number of roads.

Teams have yet to reach Nagekeo and mobile communications in the region were affected, Fathur told Reuters earlier. Attempts to reach the area by road were thwarted by landslides, while another team was trying to reach it by ferry, he said.

About 2,000 residents in Nagekeo evacuated, and damage was reported to homes, warehouses and government buildings, the BNPB said. Authorities also reported power outages and traffic congestion in parts of the regency.

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena told a press conference that at least five people were killed when buildings collapsed as they slept.

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A 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday killed at least 47 people, a disaster management official said. A second, 6.4-magnitude quake struck the country's western Sumatra island later, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. pic.twitter.com/XAEpJUfj2X

— CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSEveningNews) August 16, 2026

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Authorities have since recorded at least 995 aftershocks, but only 46 were felt by residents, said Abdul Muhari, the National Disaster Management Agency’s chief for disaster prevention. The largest recorded aftershock had a magnitude of 6.2.

More than 900 homes were destroyed and 450 more damaged in East Nusa Tenggara province, forcing about 5,000 people into temporary shelters. At least 241 homes were damaged in the Flores region alone, Muhari said.

East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said the earthquake caused severe damage and collapsed buildings. He said power outages in cities and villages have hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue efforts.

“We are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions,” Darmoko said. He said that landslides in Ende regency triggered by the earthquake also cut off the Trans-Flores highway, a roughly 435-mile paved mountain road spanning Flores Island, from Labuan Bajo to Larantuka.

The powerful tremor also destroyed more than 100 public facilities, including schools, medical centers and churches.

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