At least 20 people were killed and six injured after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off Indonesia’s Flores island on Saturday, triggering panic, landslides and a mass evacuation.

Rescue teams were searching through collapsed buildings for survivors, with at least two people still believed trapped under rubble. The hardest-hit areas included Nagekeo and nearby districts, where damaged roads and landslides hampered rescue operations.

According to The Japan Times, residents near the epicentre rushed to higher ground after the sea appeared to retreat, raising fears of a tsunami. Indonesia later lifted the tsunami warning but urged people to stay away from damaged buildings as strong aftershocks continued.

The earthquake was centred off Flores’ northern coast, about 68 kilometres northwest of Ende. Several towns reported cracked buildings and damage, while hospitals and markets were evacuated as residents sought safer ground.

Indonesia lies on the Pacific Ring of Fire and is frequently hit by earthquakes. Flores suffered a major earthquake and tsunami in 1992 that killed about 2,500 people, while the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami killed around 170,000 people in Indonesia.

BOB Post