Indonesian earthquake death toll reaches 38

The number of fatalities from the earthquake that hit the eastern region of Indonesia on Friday (14 August 2026) is at least 38. In local time, the main tremor was recorded in the early hours of Saturday (15 August). The information was published by Reuters.

According to Suharyanto, head of Bnpb (Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency), the most recent assessment also shows two people in serious condition and 11 with minor injuries. Around 2,000 residents had to leave their homes and seek shelter in safer areas.

The 7.7 magnitude earthquake occurred at 4:58 am local time, with the epicenter located offshore, at a depth of 15 km and approximately 68 km northwest of the district of Ende, on the island of Flores.

Videos circulate on social media and show the impacts caused by the tremors in the region.

📹Video 🇮🇩 Magnitude 7.7 earthquake hits Indonesia; tsunami warning was issued

🌐 An earthquake of magnitude 7.7 hit this Friday (14.Aug.2026) the region close to the island of Flores, in eastern Indonesia. In local time, it was early Saturday morning (15 August).… pic.twitter.com/Q6U6KlfjRi

— Poder360 (@Poder360) August 15, 2026

VICTIMS AND DAMAGE

Most of the deaths recorded so far occurred in the port city of Maumere, the main city in the Sikka regency. At the scene, rescue teams found 20 bodies, as well as 6 injured people and two people who were trapped under the rubble.

The governor of East Nusa Tenggara province, Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, reported that at least 5 people died after landslides while they slept.

In addition to the main tremor, the region was hit by dozens of aftershocks, including tremors of magnitude 5.9, 5.6 and 6.1. The impact collapsed structures and caused power outages and traffic jams. In Ende, a hospital had to transfer its patients outdoors as a precaution.

DIFFICULTIES IN RESCUE

Despite efforts, relief authorities have still not been able to access Nagekeo, the area closest to the epicenter. Landslides blocked roads in the region and communication signals were affected. Without land access, some of the teams try to reach the location by ferry.

In the Nagekeo area alone, an estimated 2,000 residents were evacuated. The local government also reported severe damage to government facilities, homes and warehouses.

TSUNAMI WARNING

Shortly after the tremor, the BMKG (Indonesian Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency) issued a tsunami warning for the provinces of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi. The initial projection indicated the possibility of waves of 0.5 to 3 meters.

Residents were advised to seek places higher than 10 meters in altitude or move 2 kilometers inland. The alert, however, was lifted about 3 hours later. The sea receded, but the waves recorded were below 1 meter, ranging from 19 to 30 centimeters. Australia’s warning center reported that the country did not experience a tsunami threat.

SEISMIC HISTORY

Indonesia is located on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense collision between tectonic plates, which makes the country highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanoes. In 1992, this same region of the island of Flores was devastated by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake.

The Asian country has experienced major natural tragedies. In December 2004, a 9.1 magnitude earthquake on the island of Sumatra generated a tsunami in the Indian Ocean that killed around 220,000 people, 170,000 of which in Indonesia alone. In recent years, other severe earthquakes left thousands of people dead in Lombok, Sulawesi, in 2018, and in West Java, in 2022.