7.7 Magnitude Earthquake in Indonesia Claims 47 Lives

On Saturday, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia, resulting in at least 47 fatalities, as reported by the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). The quake, which occurred at 4:58 a.m. local time, was followed by numerous aftershocks and recorded tsunami waves of less than 1 meter.

In the port town of Maumere, 20 bodies were recovered, with six individuals injured and two trapped under rubble, according to Fathur Rahman, head of the city's rescue agency. Approximately 2,000 residents in Nagekeo were evacuated due to the disaster.

Damage assessments indicated that 157 homes were heavily damaged, alongside significant destruction to schools, health facilities, and other infrastructure. East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena confirmed that at least five people died when buildings collapsed while they were sleeping.

The Indonesian geophysics agency BMKG noted the quake's depth at 15 km and highlighted the region's history of seismic activity, including a devastating 7.5 magnitude earthquake in 1992.