At least 38 dead after powerful earthquake strikes Indonesia
CBS News · LC · trust 58/100
Updated on: August 15, 2026 / 5:09 AM EDT / AP
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday killed at least 38 people, a disaster management official said, revising an earlier toll.
"Thirty-eight people have been confirmed dead, two were seriously injured, 11 sustained minor injuries, and approximately 2,000 people have evacuated on their own," National Disaster Mitigation Agency chief Suharyanto told a news conference.
Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities.
The U.S Geological Survey said the quake hit Indonesia's Flores region at 5:58 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 42 miles north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks.
The head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Agency, Fathur Rahman, said rescuers have recovered at least 20 bodies in the three devastated regencies of Sikka, West Manggarai, and East Manggarai, including eight bodies that were pulled from a landslide in the village of Reok in Manggarai. Six people were rushed to nearby hospitals with severe injuries.
He said rescuers were still searching for two villagers believed to be buried under tons of mud that tumbled down from the surrounding hills in a landslide triggered by the quake.
East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said the earthquake caused severe damage and collapsed buildings. He said power outages in cities and villages have hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue efforts.
"We are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions," Darmoko said. He said that landslides in Ende regency triggered by the earthquake also cut off the Trans-Flores highway, a roughly 435-mile paved mountain road spanning Flores Island, from Labuan Bajo to Larantuka.
Footage on local television showed patients at several hospitals being evacuated from buildings as a precaution following the quake. Hospital staff moved equipment outdoors, including beds, IV stands and oxygen cylinders, and set up temporary treatment areas to adapt to emergency conditions.
The National Disaster Management Agency deployed a helicopter to assist with logistics and support emergency response operations, including possible evacuations if needed, the agency said in a statement.
The air support is considered crucial given East Nusa Tenggara's geography, which consists of numerous islands and presents significant transportation and access challenges.
It said about 2,000 villagers in Nagekeo regency fled their homes to temporary shelters.
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