Magnitude 7.7 Earthquake Kills at Least 38 in Indonesia's Flores

Early one morning, a very strong earthquake shook the sea floor near the island of Flores in Indonesia.

Earthquakes happen when huge pieces of the Earth's crust suddenly slide and bump into each other.

This 7.7-magnitude quake was so powerful that buildings fell down, hillsides slid onto villages, and roads were blocked by mud and rocks.

Frightened people ran to higher ground in case a giant ocean wave, called a tsunami, came rushing in.

The government first warned everyone near the coast, but later checked the sea and said the water was not rising dangerously.

Sadly, at least 38 people lost their lives, and more than a dozen others were hurt.

Rescuers used helicopters and boats to reach people because the region is made up of many islands.

Some villages lost electricity, hospitals moved patients outside, and about 2,000 people went to temporary shelters.

Indonesia sits on the Ring of Fire, a circle of volcanoes and fault lines, so earthquakes are common there, and it will take time for the towns to heal.