People examine the damage to a house following an earthquake in East Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Aug. 15. AP-Yonhap
MAUMERE, Indonesia — A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 20 people, collapsing buildings and homes as well as causing panic in a region prone to deadly quakes. Authorities said six people were injured, and two others were missing after a landslide triggered by the quake.
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 with a depth of 10 kilometers at 5:58 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 68 km (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.
