A catastrophic 7.7-magnitude earthquake tore through eastern Indonesia in the early hours of Saturday, leaving at least two people dead, buildings in ruins and panicked crowds pouring into the streets as a tsunami warning sent thousands scrambling for higher ground.
The shallow monster quake struck just after 5.58am local time, its epicentre sitting a mere 68 kilometres north-northwest of the coastal town of Ende on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province. With a depth of only around 10 kilometres, the powerful jolt packed a devastating punch, shaking homes, hospitals and ports across the region for nearly a full minute.
Terrifying video footage circulating online captures the pure chaos that followed. In one clip, terrified residents can be seen sprinting down dust-choked streets as cracks race across the ground. Inside buildings, ceilings rain down debris while people scream and scramble for exits. Outside, multi-storey structures stand with walls ripped open, concrete crumbling and entire sections of facades torn away. One particularly chilling sequence shows what appears to be a port terminal collapsing, with chunks of concrete crashing down near waiting passengers.
Local disaster officials confirmed that a man and a woman were killed when parts of the Lorens Say Port in nearby Maumere gave way. At least four others were injured as hospitals were evacuated and temporary treatment areas set up outdoors. Footage from the scene shows medical staff hurriedly wheeling patients and equipment into the open air amid continuing aftershocks.
Authorities immediately issued a tsunami warning covering East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi. Residents in coastal areas were ordered to flee inland or seek higher ground. Minor waves of up to 36 centimetres were later detected at several points, but the alert was lifted once sea levels stabilised.
The quake, confirmed by both the US Geological Survey and Indonesia’s own meteorological agency, was followed by a series of strong aftershocks, including one measuring 6.1. Approximately 1.5 million people were exposed to strong or severe shaking capable of causing serious damage to poorly built structures.
Indonesia, which sits on the volatile Pacific Ring of Fire, is no stranger to deadly seismic activity. Yet the sudden violence of this morning’s tremor left many in a state of shock. “Many buildings here were damaged… I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed,” one resident told local media as crowds continued to gather in open spaces, too frightened to return indoors.
Rescue teams are still assessing the full scale of the destruction across Flores, a mountainous island better known for its volcanic lakes and as the gateway to Komodo National Park. With aftershocks continuing to rattle the region, officials have urged residents to remain vigilant and stay away from damaged buildings.
The true extent of the human and material cost is still emerging as dawn breaks over the stricken island.
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