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Monitoring from the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency indicated at least 52 aftershock events with magnitudes ranging from 3.6 to 6.2.

A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores island on Saturday morning, leaving at least 38 people dead and damaging buildings.

The magnitude 7.7 quake hit around 6 a.m. local time, according to a preliminary estimate by the US Geological Survey. Its epicenter was about 68 kilometers (42 miles) north-northwest of Ende, it said.

In the Nagekeo, Sikka and West Manggarai regencies on Flores, the “very strong” quake was felt for about a minute, prompting many people to rush out of their homes, according to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency. The temblor was experienced as far away as South Sulawesi, it said. 

At least 13 injuries have been reported in addition to the deaths, and 2,000 people are evacuating, the agency’s head Suharyanto said. More than 70 homes were damaged, ranging from severely to light, while some public buildings were also impacted. 

Monitoring from the Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency indicated at least 52 aftershock events with magnitudes ranging from 3.6 to 6.2. The agency issued a tsunami warning for nearby coastal areas and urged some residents to evacuate, before lifting it as the threat passed. 

Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Indonesia, which lies across the Pacific Ocean’s “ring of fire” zone of active volcanoes and tectonic faults. In June a lower magnitude quake left one dead in Central Sulawesi.

Published on August 15, 2026

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