Archive · 16 Aug 2026
Indonesia Quake Death Toll Hits 51 as Rescuers Clear Landslides
A very big earthquake hit near the island of Flores in Indonesia.
The ground shook so hard that houses fell down and many people got hurt.
At least 51 people died, and the shaking has not completely stopped — there have been hundreds of smaller shakes called aftershocks.
Landslides, big piles of dirt and rocks, have blocked roads, so rescue workers cannot reach every village.
Soldiers and police are helping, and boats and helicopters are being used to bring supplies.
Many families are sleeping outside in tents because they are scared to go back into their homes.
Helpers are giving people food, water, blankets, and medicine.
Leaders are thinking about declaring an emergency so that more help can be sent.
When there is an earthquake, the ground can be dangerous for a long time, and rebuilding takes a lot of work.
A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara, eastern Indonesia, on Saturday, killing at least 51 people and injuring more than 100.
The quake hit at 5:58am local time about 68km north-northwest of Ende at a depth of roughly 10km and was followed by around 341 aftershocks, according to the USGS.
About 5,000 people have been evacuated, with more than 3,300 residents of Sikka regency fleeing their homes and sheltering in a sports arena.
Landslides blocked roads and disrupted communications, including parts of the roughly 700km Trans-Flores Highway, and rescue teams had not fully reached Nagekeo regency, with a team attempting access by ferry.
Damage figures vary between reports: one count lists more than 900 homes destroyed and nearly 450 damaged, while another lists 157 destroyed and more than 1,300 homes damaged.
- Who
- Residents of Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara, including people in Manggarai, East Manggarai, Sikka, Ngada, Ende and Nagekeo regencies, with rescue teams, the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) and more than 3,500 military and police personnel responding.
- What
- A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Flores, killing at least 51 people (earlier reports said 47), injuring more than 100, and destroying or damaging hundreds of homes and public facilities, with hundreds of aftershocks.
- When
- Saturday at 5:58am local time; rescue searches continued on Sunday.
- Where
- Off Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province, eastern Indonesia, with the epicentre about 68km north-northwest of Ende; tremors were also felt in West Nusa Tenggara and parts of southern Sulawesi.
- Why
- Indonesia lies on the Pacific 'Ring of Fire,' a horseshoe-shaped arc of seismic faults and volcanoes, making the archipelago prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- Magnitude
- 7.7
- Time of quake
- Saturday, 5:58am local time
- Epicentre
- About 68km north-northwest of Ende, Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara
- Depth
- About 10km
- Death toll
- At least 51 (earlier reports cited 47)
- Injuries
- More than 100, including 36 seriously injured
- Aftershocks
- Around 341
- Homes damaged
- Reports vary: 900+ destroyed and nearly 450 damaged per one count; 157 destroyed and over 1,300 damaged per another
