Now Reading: 7.7-magnitude quake off Flores damages homes, triggers tsunami warning
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7.7-magnitude quake off Flores damages homes, triggers tsunami warning
7.7-magnitude quake off Flores damages homes, triggers tsunami warning
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores region early Saturday, damaging buildings and triggering a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and…
The Story in Brief
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores region early Saturday, damaging buildings and triggering a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi provinces. The US Geological Survey said the quake hit at 5:58 am local time at a depth of 10 km, with its epicentre 68 km north-northwest of Ende. No immediate casualties were reported.
Residents along affected coastlines moved to higher ground as officials monitored tide gauges. Yohanna Embu, a resident of Sikka regency, said the waiting room at the Pelni port terminal in Maumere had collapsed. Several aftershocks followed. Indonesia lies on the Ring of Fire and is prone to earthquakes and tsunamis. A 1992 quake of similar magnitude killed about 2,500 people on Flores.
The Indian Opinion
Social media often amplifies fears of a repeat of the massive 2004 tsunami whenever Indonesia shakes. But today's orderly evacuation and the absence of casualties so far suggest that warning systems and public awareness have improved significantly. The next real test will be a quake closer to shore that generates a large wave, that will show whether the infrastructure holds.
Sources (2): indiatoday.in, thefederal.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
