At least 47 dead in Indonesia after magnitude 7.7 quakeAt least 47 dead in Indonesia after magnitude 7.7 quake

At least 47 people have been killed after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Indonesia’s eastern coast on Saturday, triggering landslides, building collapses, a brief tsunami warning and a series of strong aftershocks.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said the death toll had risen as emergency crews continued to assess the destruction across East Nusa Tenggara. Reuters and other international outlets confirmed the toll at 47, while warning that the full scale of the disaster remains unclear because some of the worst-hit areas are still difficult to reach.

The earthquake struck at around 5:58 a.m. local time, with the epicentre located off Flores Island. The shallow quake caused intense shaking across East Nusa Tenggara, with tremors also felt in West Nusa Tenggara and parts of South Sulawesi. More than 235 aftershocks were subsequently recorded, according to updated reports.

For residents, the first moments were marked by panic.

“The quake was massive, the shock was so strong,” said Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura in East Nusa Tenggara. “There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves.”

Rescue operation blocked by landslides

The rescue effort has been complicated by the very destruction caused by the earthquake.

Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicentre, remained difficult for emergency teams to reach after landslides blocked roads and disrupted communications. Officials said rescue workers were attempting to reach the area by alternative routes, including by ferry.

Around 2,000 residents of Nagekeo were evacuated, while homes, warehouses and government buildings were damaged. Power failures and traffic congestion added to the difficulties confronting emergency responders.

At least 47 dead in Indonesia after magnitude 7.7 quake

In Maumere, the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores, rescuers searched collapsed structures for survivors. Officials reported that 20 people had died there, while six others were injured and two were initially believed to be trapped beneath rubble.

Video verified by Reuters showed part of a building at the Maumere port collapsing into dust and debris as people screamed and fled into the street. Rescuers subsequently searched the wreckage for possible survivors.

Siti Sulfia Bira, 37, who lives with her family close to the port, said she immediately moved to higher ground when the earthquake struck.

“At the moment we don’t dare to go home just yet because the situation isn’t stable, we still worry that there might be more tremors coming,” she told Reuters.

Homes, schools and public buildings damaged

The destruction extends well beyond the initial death toll.

Preliminary assessments recorded 157 homes heavily damaged, 41 moderately damaged and 148 lightly damaged. Damage was also reported at 87 schools, 18 health facilities, five places of worship and six government office buildings.

The scale of the destruction could increase as emergency teams reach communities that remain cut off.

Hospitals also began moving patients outdoors as a precaution. Footage from Ende showed patients being taken outside a medical facility following the powerful shaking, while landslides were reported in the surrounding region.

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said at least five people were killed when buildings collapsed while they were sleeping.

Tsunami warning lifted

The undersea earthquake also prompted authorities to issue a tsunami warning for parts of eastern Indonesia.

Small tsunami waves were subsequently recorded in several coastal locations. The warning was lifted roughly three hours after the earthquake after authorities determined that the immediate tsunami threat had passed. The highest wave reported in updated accounts reached about 1.61 metres at Riung village.

Australia’s tsunami warning centre said the earthquake posed no tsunami threat to mainland Australia, its islands or territories.

Residents, however, were urged to remain cautious because of continuing aftershocks and the danger posed by damaged buildings.

A region accustomed to earthquakes

Indonesia sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world's most seismically active zones, where several tectonic plates meet and generate frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

The latest disaster has revived memories of previous deadly earthquakes in the country. In 1992, the same broader region was struck by a powerful earthquake that caused extensive destruction. Indonesia also suffered one of its worst modern disasters in 2018, when a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami struck Palu on Sulawesi, killing more than 4,000 people.

For Flores, the immediate priority now is reaching isolated communities, searching collapsed structures and accounting for those still missing.

And with roads blocked, communications disrupted and aftershocks continuing, the 47 confirmed deaths may not yet represent the final toll.