Magnitude 7.7 earthquake kills 51 in Indonesia, displaces thousands
A shallow 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Flores, Indonesia on August 16, killing at least 51 people and displacing around 5,000. More than 900 homes and hundreds of public buildings were damaged, and over 340 aftershocks followed the initial quake.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the Indonesian island of Flores shortly before 05:00 local time on August 16, killing at least 51 people and displacing around 5,000, according to BBC reporting. The initial quake occurred just 15 kilometers below the surface, followed by 341 aftershocks.
Casualties were concentrated across several provinces in the East Nusa Tenggara region. Manggarai province recorded 24 deaths, East Manggarai 17 deaths, and Sikka 3 deaths. At least one death each was reported in Ngada, Ende, and West Manggarai provinces, per BBC reporting. An additional 36 people were seriously injured and 77 suffered minor injuries across the region.
Displacement figures show 3,356 people were displaced in Sikka and another 2,078 were evacuated in Manggarai. According to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), more than 900 homes and hundreds of other buildings sustained severe damage, including dozens of schools, healthcare facilities, and government offices.
Ruteng Regional Hospital in Manggarai was among the hardest-hit facilities. The quake caused the operating theatre and clinic ceilings to cave in, forcing the hospital to treat patients in tents. Hospital spokesperson Rista Mari told BBC Indonesian: "We heard that medical assistance would be provided, but nothing has arrived yet. We hope that assistance will arrive soon." The BNPB dispatched tonnes of emergency supplies to Manggarai in response.
Difficult terrain added to recovery challenges. Landslides blocked access to some villages, complicating rescue and aid delivery efforts. Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena of East Nusa Tenggara province told a news conference that several victims were killed in their sleep by collapsing rubble.
A tsunami warning was issued immediately after the initial quake but lifted around three hours later when no significant sea level rise was detected. Roughly 2,000 people had self-evacuated following the warning. Tremors were reportedly felt as far west as Bima.
The earthquake was Indonesia's deadliest since 2022, when hundreds died in West Java, according to BBC reporting.
At least 51 people were killed and around 5,000 displaced by the magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck Flores on August 16, according to BBC reporting confirmed against official Indonesian disaster management data.
Indonesia's disaster management agency is coordinating emergency supplies and rescue operations, but hospital officials report a gap between announced aid and on-the-ground delivery. The sources do not provide final casualty or displacement figures, citing that the full scale of the disaster was still being uncovered, nor do they offer a monetary damage estimate or timeline for reconstruction.
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