Indonesia Earthquake Death Toll Reaches 47 as Flores Damage Assessment Continues

Indonesia says at least 47 people died after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Flores, with damage assessments still under way.

MAUMERE, INDONESIA.— At least 47 people have died after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia's Flores region on Saturday, as emergency authorities continued searching affected communities and assessing extensive damage.

Indonesia's disaster-management agency, BNPB, reported 47 deaths in its evening update and documented hundreds of damaged homes as well as impacts to schools, health facilities, places of worship and government buildings.

BMKG revised the earthquake to magnitude 7.7

Indonesia's meteorological and geophysical agency, BMKG, said the earthquake occurred early Saturday and revised its magnitude to 7.7, with a shallow depth of about 15 kilometers and an epicentral area northeast of Nagekeo.

Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning.

BMKG instruments subsequently detected relatively small tsunami waves at several monitoring locations before the warning was lifted later in the morning.

Damage assessment remains incomplete

BNPB reported 157 homes with severe damage, 41 with moderate damage and 148 with light damage in its evening assessment, along with damage to dozens of education and health facilities.

Those numbers may change as teams reach additional communities and verify reports.

Reuters and the Associated Press also reported the 47-person toll as rescue and assessment operations continued.

What happens next in Flores

The priority is locating survivors, treating the injured, providing shelter and supplies and determining whether additional structures remain unsafe.

Aftershocks may complicate recovery, and casualty or damage figures should be treated as developing until BNPB issues subsequent verified assessments.

By Christopher Evans | Weather and Risk Correspondent | CRN Times
Editorial Supervision: Eleanor Whitfield, Editor-in-Chief | CRN Times