Indonesia’s magnitude 7.7 quake kills at least 51, displaces thousands



More than 1,300 homes damaged and 5,000 people displaced as Indonesia grapples with one of its deadliest earthquakes in years.A powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has killed at least 51 people and forced about 5,000 people to evacuate, as rescue teams work to clear roads blocked by landslides and reach survivors still trapped under rubble.The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:58am local time on Saturday (21:58 GMT, Friday), with its epicentre about 68km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende, on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province, according to the US Geological Survey, which put the depth at 10km (6.2 miles).Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2On the ground in Indonesia following 7.7 magnitude earthquakelist 2 of 2Aftermath of deadly Indonesia earthquakeend of listThe earthquake, followed by some 341 aftershocks, is one of Indonesia’s deadliest in years.Earthquake victims are treated in a temporary medical tent due to fears of aftershocks, in front of the Ruteng hospital in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara on August 15, 2026 [Juni Kriswanto/AFP]A total of 36 people were seriously injured and 77 more suffered minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus told a televised meeting on Sunday.More than 3,300 people in Sikka regency, one of the hard-hit areas, either fled their homes or were left stranded, taking shelter in a sports arena, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB.“The quake was massive, the shock was so strong, we were resting at home with family,” Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura village, told the Reuters news agency. “There were 13 of us inside the house, and we all ran to save ourselves.”In the port town of Maumere, some residents camped outside collapsed homes under tarpaulin tents, while others received treatment in a makeshift tent outside a local hospital.“Almost all of Sikka’s residents didn’t dare stay indoors, so they slept on a porch or a tent outside,” Simon Sabandi, the region’s deputy chief, told news channel KompasTV.Lieutenant General Suharyanto, the BNPB head, said the earthquake destroyed at least 157 houses and damaged nearly 200 more, forcing about 2,000 villagers in Nagekeo regency, the area closest to the epicentre, into temporary shelters.He said three helicopters and a rescue vessel had been deployed to support the emergency response in a region where the scattered geography of small islands makes access difficult.East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said the disaster had caused severe damage and building collapses across the province.Rescue teams have yet to fully reach Nagekeo, where landslides have blocked roads and disrupted communications, said Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency in Maumere, adding that a team was attempting to reach the area by ferry.More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed overall, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said. More than 1,300 homes have been damaged, and 20 petrol stations remain shut due to power outages, according to state energy firm Pertamina.Officials are considering declaring a state of emergency for East Nusa Tenggara, which would unlock further resources and funding.A tsunami warning issued immediately after the earthquake has since been lifted.Reporting from Jakarta, Al Jazeera’s Jessica Washington said aftershocks could continue for “several days”, with authorities in the island’s northern areas ordering further evacuations as the true scale of the damage is still “emerging”.She said several affected areas remain inaccessible to first responders and that local authorities have urged residents to stay away from shorelines and damaged buildings.The same stretch of coastline was struck by a similarly powerful earthquake in December 1992, when the quake and the tsunami it triggered killed more than 2,500 people on Flores, Indonesia’s geophysics agency said.Indonesia, a nation of some 290 million people spread ac
Indiana’s state governor says that US government has promised assistance after a week of heavy rainfall.Authorities in the Midwestern United States have reported at least five deaths in Indiana after the state was struck with fierce storms and flooding.Rescue workers continue to seek out those stranded by the storms, which drenched Indiana over the past week.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3Storm Lala strengthens into a Category 1 hurricane as it nears Hawaiilist 2 of 3Record rainfall leaves four dead, thousands stranded in Japanlist 3 of 3Death toll from Zimbabwe ferry disaster rises to 72end of listGovernor Mike Braun had called for a presidential emergency declaration on Friday, in order to access greater resources for the state.On Saturday, he issued a public statement announcing that the federal government had pledged assistance.“I spoke with President [Donald] Trump today about the severe storms and historic flooding impacting Indiana, and he informed me that he intends to approve our request for a Presidential Emergency Declaration,” Braun, a Republican, wrote in a social media post.“I’m grateful to President Trump for his commitment to getting Hoosiers the federal assistance we need as we continue responding and recovering.”Emergency workers have used boats to rescue people from homes inundated by rising waters.The White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, was among the waterways that overflowed its banks over the last week, causing dangerous flooding.Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said that the area is experiencing its worst flooding in more than 30 years. The National Weather Service has reported that more than 280mm (11 inches) of rain fell over two days in some areas.Sheriff deputies in Delaware County said on Friday that they had found the body of a deceased 58-year-old woman, whom they believe died trying to drive her vehicle through floodwaters.Authorities caution against attempting to cross flooded areas in a car, warning that vehicles can become stranded.A four-year-old child also died after a tree fell on a home in Jennings County this week, and law enforcement found the body of a teen who was reported missing on Wednesday after jumping into a river.“My heart is with the families and loved ones of the five Hoosiers we have lost and every family whose life has been changed by these storms,” Braun said on Saturday. “Please continue to take flooding seriously and stay away from floodwaters.”
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