Jakarta (VNA) - The death toll from a magnitude-7.7 earthquake off Indonesia’s Flores Island rose to 38 as of 15:00 local time on August 15, while around 2,000 people were evacuated amid fears of strong aftershocks and a possible tsunami.
Suharyanto, Head of Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB), said two people were seriously injured and 11 others sustained minor injuries.
The earthquake struck off Flores Island near Mbay town in Nagekeo district, East Nusa Tenggara province, triggering strong aftershocks. Several houses and other structures were damaged, while landslides disrupted roads in some areas.
Rescue teams have been deployed to affected areas to search for survivors, assess damage and determine additional casualties.
Indonesia issued tsunami warnings for several areas following the quake but later lifted them. The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysical Agency (BMKG) urged residents to remain vigilant against possible aftershocks.
Several flights to East Nusa Tenggara were also cancelled following the earthquake.
Indonesia lies on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” one of the world’s most seismically active regions. Flores was hit by another magnitude-7.7 earthquake in 1992, which triggered a tsunami that killed around 2,500 people./.