Before the M 7.7 Earthquake, NTT Was Struck by a Devastating Earthquake in 1992
A tectonic earthquake with a magnitude of 7.0 shook the Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT) region on Saturday, 15 August, and was felt as far as Lombok Island in Nusa Tenggara Barat (NTB). According to the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), the earthquake occurred at 05:58 WITA, with its epicentre located north of Mbay, Nagekeo Regency, NTT.
The earthquake’s coordinates were 8.33 degrees south latitude and 121.32 degrees east longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometres. Following the earthquake, BMKG also issued a tsunami early warning. In Sikka and Labuan Bajo, NTT, tsunami waves were recorded at heights of 0.19 metres and 0.36 metres respectively. Meanwhile, in Dompu, NTT, a tsunami wave of 0.17 metres was detected.
Based on BNPB data as of 12:30 WIB, 14 people were reported dead and 11 people suffered minor injuries as a result of the earthquake. The provisional death toll was recorded as three people in Sikka Regency, six in Manggarai Regency, and five in East Manggarai Regency. Injuries were reported in Sikka Regency, Nagekeo Regency, Manggarai Regency, and East Manggarai Regency.
In addition to the casualties, around five households were affected and approximately 2,000 residents carried out self-evacuation. Most residents evacuated following the strong tremors and the tsunami early warning that had been issued after the main earthquake.
In terms of damage, 54 houses were provisionally recorded as severely damaged, nine houses as moderately damaged, and 11 houses as lightly damaged. Damage also occurred to five health facilities, one educational facility, one Bulog warehouse, three places of worship, and six government offices.
NTT is one of Indonesia’s earthquake-prone regions. The area lies in the Sunda-Banda Arc transition zone, precisely at the meeting point of the Eurasian and Australian plates, giving it high seismic activity.
Major earthquakes have struck NTT in the past, including the 1992 Flores earthquake, which killed more than 2,000 people. The following is a list of devastating earthquakes recorded in NTT, as compiled from various sources.
The Flores earthquake of 12 December 1992 had a magnitude of 7.5 and triggered a tsunami. The tsunami penetrated up to 300 metres inland and reached a height of 26 metres at Kalaotoa. Three coastal villages in East Flores Regency were reported to have been wiped out by the tsunami waves.