Magnitude 7.7 earthquake hits off Indonesia's coast, tsunami warning issued
A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck near Indonesia's Flores island, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning for coastal residents. No casualties or damage have been reported so far.
A powerful earthquake measuring 7.7 in magnitude struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, at 5:58am local time, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake originated at a depth of about 10 kilometres, with its epicentre located roughly 68 kilometres north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province, near Flores island.
Two aftershocks followed the initial tremor. No immediate reports of casualties or damage have emerged.
Tsunami warning issued
Indonesia's meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency issued a tsunami warning after detecting the shallow undersea quake near Flores. Residents in affected coastal areas were urged to move to higher ground and avoid beaches and riverbanks. Officials are closely monitoring coastal tide gauges for any signs of unusual activity.
A quake-prone nation
Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, sits along the Pacific's so-called Ring of Fire, a zone of frequent volcanic and seismic activity, making earthquakes common across the country.
Separately, Australia's tsunami warning centre said the undersea quake poses no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, its islands or territories.
This remains a developing story and further updates are expected.
