Overview
- The M7.7 quake that struck Saturday, August 15, offshore north of Flores Island produced strong shaking from a shallow 10 km depth and generated local tsunami waves reported up to about 1.6 meters.
- Indonesia's National Disaster Agency reported 53 people dead and 135 injured in its latest tally as search-and-rescue operations continue and officials warn figures may climb.
- More than 1,300 homes were damaged with over 900 left badly hit and about 9,300 people displaced, and schools, medical clinics and government buildings also suffered damage.
- Rescue work has been slowed by aftershocks above magnitude 5, landslides that severed roads and damaged ports, forcing teams to reach some coastal communities by boat and leaving some islands temporarily cut off.
- The Flores area has a history of deadly quakes and tsunamis, including a 1992 event that killed thousands, and experts say the shallow offshore faulting and possible undersea slides make continued vigilance essential.