- Magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia; small tsunami waves recorded.
- Residents fled homes; building collapsed in Maumere port.
- Several aftershocks followed; no tsunami threat to Australia.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia early Saturday, followed by several aftershocks, the country’s geophysics agency BMKG said. Tsunami waves measuring less than 1 metre (3 feet) were recorded in several areas.
The earthquake prompted people to flee their homes, although there were no initial reports of widespread damage, Reuters reported, citing Dodi Yuleova, spokesperson for the national disaster mitigation agency.
The tremor was felt strongly for about a minute in areas including Nagekeo and Bima, he said.
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Building Collapses Reported In Maumere
According to Reuters, a video posted on Facebook filmed at a port in Maumere, the main town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia, showed part of a building collapsing amid dust and rubble as people screamed and ran through the streets.
Footage aired by Kompas TV also showed a hospital in the Ende district of East Nusa Tenggara province moving patients outside, the report said.
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Earthquake Followed By Aftershocks
BMKG said the initial earthquake was recorded at 4:58 a.m. local time at a depth of 15 kilometres (9 miles). Several aftershocks were subsequently recorded.
The earthquake occurred offshore in eastern Indonesia, according to the agency.
Australia’s tsunami warning centre said the undersea earthquake posed “no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories”.
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