A devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores Island early Saturday morning, October 26, 2023, at 5:58 AM local time (21:58 GMT Friday), triggering widespread devastation and prompting immediate emergency responses. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) confirmed the quake, measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, with an epicenter approximately 68 kilometers (42 miles) north-northwest of Ende, in East Nusa Tenggara province. The USGS indicated a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).
The initial seismic activity was detected by the USGS, which placed the quake’s epicenter roughly 68 kilometers (42 miles) away from Ende. Within an hour of the event, the USGS issued an epicentre shift, moving the focus of the quake to about 68 kilometers (42 miles) north-northwest of Ende. Following the initial quake, three aftershocks of magnitudes 5.9, 5.6, and 6.1 struck the region within a period of approximately 30 minutes, adding to the instability and prompting heightened concerns.
Within minutes of the quake, Indonesian authorities, including the National Disaster Agency (BNPB), issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas stretching from the northern coast of Flores to the southern islands and across the southern region. The BNPB urged residents to immediately evacuate to higher ground, particularly to avoid coastal areas and riverbanks, to mitigate the risk of significant tsunami impacts. Abdul Muhari, the BNPB official, stated, “We strongly urge our communities along the northern coast of Flores and in the southern parts, on the southern islands and across the southern region, to carry out immediate self-evacuation.”
The immediate aftermath of the quake saw extensive damage to buildings, particularly in the port area of Ende, in the immediate vicinity of the epicenter. Local media footage revealed significant structural damage, with areas around the Maumere region sustaining severe damage. The Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning, advising residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks, and to move to higher ground. The BMKG indicated that more than half a million people across Flores Island were likely to experience strong shaking, with moderate to strong shaking felt by several million more people across the wider region.
USGS estimates that over half a million people on Flores Island are likely to have experienced very strong shaking, with moderate to strong shaking felt by several million more people across the wider region. Local authorities are continuing to monitor the situation and assess the potential for further aftershocks, which are expected to continue throughout the day. The quake occurred on a seismically active region, with a similarly powerful earthquake striking Indonesia’s coastline in December 2004, resulting in the deaths of over 2,500 people on Flores Island. The island is situated on the Pacific ‘Ring of Fire’ and is one of the world’s most seismically active countries, highlighting the region’s inherent geological risks.
The investigation into the cause of the earthquake is ongoing, and authorities are working to assess the risk of further seismic activity.
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Source: Al Jazeera
