Now Reading: 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, tsunami warning issued
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7.7 magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, tsunami warning issued
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores island early Saturday, prompting a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake…
The Story in Brief
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia's Flores island early Saturday, prompting a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara. The US Geological Survey (USGS) said the quake hit at a depth of about 10 km, with the epicentre approximately 68 km northwest of Ende. Indonesia's BMKG recorded the depth at 15 km and issued the warning, which later reported waves less than a metre in some areas.
Two aftershocks of 5.6 and 5.9 magnitude followed. Local reports, including video footage, showed building collapses in Maumere and a hospital moving patients outside. The national disaster mitigation agency spokesperson said there were no early reports of widespread damage. Australia said there was no tsunami threat to its mainland. Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes.
The Indian Opinion
Official warnings about tsunami risk are necessary, but the panic they create often exceeds the actual threat. Reports mention tsunami waves less than one metre, yet the headlines scream disaster. The narrative of inevitable catastrophe in the Ring of Fire is lazy journalism. The real test is how quickly Indonesia's disaster agencies confirm damage and casualties over the next 24 hours.
Sources (4): timesofindia.indiatimes.com, timesnownews.com, thehindu.com, news.abplive.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 4 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 4 sources.
