A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia. The epicenter, which occurred at 5:58 a.m. local time (21:58 GMT) at shallow depths off the island of Flores, was located 68 kilometers from the town of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. The vast Indonesian archipelago is prone to frequent seismic and volcanic activity due to its location on the "Pacific Ring of Fire."
At least 38 people have been confirmed dead so far, and following the violent earthquake a tsunami warning has been issued, with hundreds of people fleeing the affected area.
The Indonesian Meteorological, Climatological and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) has warned of the possibility of the earthquake generating tsunami waves between 0.5 and 3 meters. Residents of the town of Maumere on the island of Flores, about 2,400 kilometers away, are moving to higher ground. Images broadcast on Indonesian television show hundreds of people in the nearby Nagekeo regency evacuating the area, along with damaged buildings.
"We strongly urge our communities along the northern coast of Flores and in the southern areas, the southern islands, and throughout the southern region to immediately self-evacuate," said Abdul Muhari, an official with the national disaster management agency (BNPB). Residents should "move away from the coast, moving more than two kilometers inland or moving to hilly areas above 10 meters," he told local broadcaster Kompas TV.