Magnitude 7.7 earthquake hits off Indonesia’s Flores Island
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[JAKARTA] A powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores island on Saturday (Aug 15) morning, damaging buildings and prompting a tsunami warning that was later lifted.
The magnitude 7.7 quake hit around 6 am local time, according to a preliminary estimate by the US Geological Survey. Its epicentre was about 68 km north-northwest of Ende, it said.
The initial earthquake was followed by at least seven aftershocks with magnitudes between five and 6.1. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning for nearby coastal areas and urged some residents to evacuate, before lifting it as the threat passed.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Earthquakes are a common occurrence in Indonesia, which lies across the Pacific Ocean’s “ring of fire” zone of active volcanoes and tectonic faults. BLOOMBERG
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