Indonesia Earthquake Kills 51 as Rescuers Search for Survivors

By Aurax Radio | August 16, 2026 | 2 min read

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 51 people and injuring more than 100 as rescue teams searched damaged communities for survivors. Thousands of residents were evacuated after landslides, blocked roads and power outages disrupted access to parts of Flores Island.

Residents at temporary shelters after the earthquake damaged homes and disrupted roads across Flores.

The earthquake struck early Saturday off the northern coast of Flores in East Nusa Tenggara province, with its epicenter about 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende and a depth of roughly 10 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The shallow quake caused buildings to collapse, triggered landslides and damaged more than 1,300 homes, while authorities reported more than 100 injuries. About 5,000 people were displaced, many taking shelter in temporary facilities or remaining outdoors because of fears of additional tremors. More than 300 aftershocks were recorded, further complicating rescue and recovery efforts.

Emergency crews were deployed to areas including Nagekeo, Manggarai and East Manggarai, where landslides and damaged roads left some communities difficult to reach. Power and communications failures also hindered operations, while authorities worked to clear the Trans-Flores Highway and deliver food, water and medical supplies. A tsunami warning issued after the earthquake was later lifted after monitoring found no continuing major threat, although waves of more than 1 meter were recorded in some locations. Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where several tectonic plates meet, making the country particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and tsunamis. Flores itself suffered a devastating magnitude 7.7 earthquake and tsunami in 1992 that killed more than 2,000 people.

Sources: Al Jazeera, The Guardian, Reuters, Associated Press and U.S. Geological Survey.

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