Powerful Earthquake Shakes Eastern Indonesia, Sparks Tsunami Concerns

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off eastern Indonesia, causing tsunami waves, but no immediate damage reported. Videos revealed collapsing buildings and evacuations were seen. Australia's tsunami warning center confirmed no threat to its territories. The initial quake occurred at 4:58 a.m., followed by multiple aftershocks.

A powerful earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia early Saturday, prompting the country's geophysics agency BMKG to issue alerts as tsunami waves up to one meter were observed.

Residents rushed out of their homes as the tremors were strongly felt in areas like Nagekeo and Bima for almost a minute. No immediate damage was reported. Dodi Yuleova from the national disaster mitigation agency confirmed the quake's intensity.

Footage from Maumere, a town on Flores Island, showed parts of a building collapsing amid screams, while a hospital in Ende moved patients outside for safety. BMKG's records showed the quake's depth at 15 km, followed by aftershocks. Australian authorities confirmed no tsunami threat to their region.