A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 has struck off the coast of Indonesia.

A powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 38 people and leaving thousands displaced, according to the Indonesian National Disaster Agency. The quake, measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale, hit near the northern coast of Flores Island, approximately 68 kilometers northwest of the coastal city of Ende. The tremor triggered widespread panic and prompted emergency evacuations across several regions, with authorities initially issuing tsunami warnings before later lifting them. Rescue teams were deployed immediately to search through rubble for survivors in the aftermath of the disaster. According to Fathur Rahman, a member of the rescue service, at least 20 people had been confirmed dead in four different locations on the island, which is a popular tourist destination. Six others were injured, while two individuals remained trapped under debris. The hardest-hit area was Nagekeo, located closest to the epicenter, where residents fled to higher ground after the sea receded, a potential sign of an impending tsunami. The initial tsunami alert issued by the Indonesian Meteorological, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) led to mass evacuations as people rushed to safety on foot, motorcycles, and cars. Some even climbed into truck cargo areas to escape the chaos. Although the tsunami warning was later canceled, officials advised people not to return to damaged buildings due to concerns over subsequent aftershocks. Dozens of smaller quakes followed, with the strongest registering 6.1 in magnitude. Eyewitness accounts described scenes of confusion and fear. Yohanes Babo, a 56-year-old resident of Nagekeo, recounted being at a market when the shaking began. He said he and others quickly moved outside, avoiding injury. “People were in panic, running everywhere,” he told AFP. “We are evacuating now and trying to get to higher ground.” His family was safe, and no one in his household was hurt. In Maumere, a port town on the northern coast of Flores, rescuers retrieved the body of a deceased individual from partially collapsed buildings. Two other people were successfully evacuated from the wreckage, according to footage released by the rescue agency. The extent of damage and casualties continues to be assessed as efforts to locate additional victims persist. Lucas Lotar, a resident of Maumere, described the sudden onset of the earthquake, which caused walls to crack and patients to flee from hospitals. “It was very strong,” he said. “I saw some walls break.” The affected region consists largely of towns and villages with few high-rise buildings, reducing the risk of structural collapse but increasing vulnerability to ground shaking and landslides. Rescue operations have been complicated by landslides blocking roads, hampering access to remote areas. BMKG director Wijayanto emphasized that while the tsunami warning has been lifted, monitoring of sea levels will continue. The agency initially warned of possible tsunami waves following the earthquake and urged residents to move to higher ground. Long lines of people could be seen fleeing cities on foot and by vehicle, with some seeking refuge in truck cargo spaces. Indonesia lies within the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia to the Pacific basin. This location makes the country prone to frequent earthquakes and tsunamis. In 1992, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores, triggering a tsunami that killed around 2,500 people. One of the deadliest earthquakes in Indonesian history occurred in 2004 when a magnitude 9.1 quake off the coast of Sumatra generated a tsunami that claimed nearly 220,000 lives across the region, with about 170,000 deaths in Indonesia alone. As rescue efforts continue, the focus remains on locating those still buried under rubble and assessing the full scope of destruction. Authorities warn that further aftershocks could complicate recovery operations, emphasizing the need for vigilance and preparedness in the face of ongoing seismic threats.