A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, specifically off Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province. The disaster has killed at least 53 people and injured 135 others, many of whom suffered broken bones. This event is the nation's deadliest since a 2022 quake in West Java.
The earthquake triggered 341 aftershocks and widespread landslides that blocked roads and buried buildings. In East Nusa Tenggara province, over 900 homes were destroyed and 450 more were damaged, with some reports indicating over 1,300 total homes affected. Approximately 5,000 people have been displaced and forced into temporary shelters, with some areas left without electricity and telecommunications.
Fatalities were reported across six regencies on Flores, with at least 24 deaths in Manggarai regency and 17 in neighbouring East Manggarai, as well as additional deaths in Sikka, Ngada, and Ende. Thousands of military and police officers have been deployed to assist rescue teams digging through rubble and landslide debris.
While evacuees have begun receiving aid, rescuers are struggling to reach remote communities. Authorities have warned that the death toll is likely to rise as operations continue to search for survivors and bodies feared buried beneath debris.