KABUL (Pajhwok): At least five people were killed after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake and dozens of aftershocks struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, according to local officials.
Tsunami waves of less than one metre were recorded in several areas, but the tsunami warning was lifted about three hours after the quake, Reuters reported.
East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said five people died after rubble from collapsing structures fell on them while they slept. However, Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) put the toll at one dead and four injured.
The quake caused buildings to collapse, landslides and damage to houses, warehouses and government facilities. A video verified by Reuters showed parts of a building collapsing at a port in Maumere on Flores Island as people fled into the streets.
Strong tremors were felt across East and West Nusa Tenggara and parts of South Sulawesi, with residents reporting shaking lasting about a minute, BNPB said.
About 2,000 residents in Nagekeo were evacuated, while power outages and traffic congestion were also reported. A hospital in Ende district moved patients outside as a precaution.
Indonesia’s geophysics agency BMKG said the main quake struck at 4:58am local time at a depth of 15 kilometres, followed by several aftershocks.
Australia’s tsunami warning centre said there was no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories.
Indonesia lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismically active zone where several tectonic plates meet, making the country prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
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