731 Aftershocks Recorded in NTT, Largest at M 6.2

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) has reported that 731 aftershocks have occurred in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) following the main earthquake of magnitude 7.7 on Saturday, 15 August 2026. The largest aftershock was recorded at magnitude 6.2.

BNPB head Lieutenant General TNI Suharyanto explained that the data came from the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) up to Sunday, 16 March at 08.13 WITA.

“The BMKG head said the total number of earthquakes up to 08.13 was 731. Of those 731 earthquakes, the largest aftershock was 6.2 magnitude and that has passed. Then up to today, the second day, there have been no earthquakes of large magnitude or causing severe damage, none at all,” Suharyanto said during an earthquake coordination meeting in West Manggarai Regency on Sunday, 16 August 2026.

He explained that seismic conditions in NTT are expected to gradually stabilise over the next two to three weeks. However, he noted that aftershocks of smaller magnitude may still occur.

“Although the BMKG head said conditions will stabilise after the next 2-3 weeks, experience from earthquakes elsewhere shows that after a large aftershock, the subsequent ones are usually smaller and smaller,” he said.

Suharyanto urged the public not to panic and not to readily believe unverified information regarding the potential for another large earthquake.

“This also needs to be conveyed to the public so they are not influenced by irresponsible issues, hoaxes that claim there will be another large earthquake after the 7.7.”

For information, the East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government has declared an Emergency Response Status for the earthquake that struck the province. The status is valid for 14 days, from 15 to 28 August 2026.

The declaration is set out in East Nusa Tenggara Governor Decree Number 305/KEP/HK/2026 concerning the Emergency Response Status for the Earthquake Disaster in East Nusa Tenggara Province, issued in Kupang on 15 August 2026.

“The declaration of emergency response status is intended to accelerate the handling of the disaster’s impact, while facilitating access, coordination and communication among parties in mobilising all available resources,” said NTT Governor Melki Laka Lena in a statement in Kupang on Sunday, 16 August 2026.