Impact of Devastating Earthquake in NTT: Buildings Collapse and Are Destroyed

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook the Flores region of East Nusa Tenggara on Saturday (15/8/2026) morning. The shallow tremor, originating from the Flores Back Arc Thrust fault, caused damage to a number of buildings and triggered panic among residents.

A tsunami early warning was issued after the earthquake, prompting coastal residents to evacuate to higher ground. SAR teams then moved to conduct search and evacuation operations at several affected locations.

Rescue teams carried out searches for victims amid the rubble of buildings after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Maumere, East Nusa Tenggara Province. Officers combed through collapsed structures to ensure no victims remained buried.

The shallow earthquake triggered damage in several areas of Flores and was strongly felt by the public. Initial reports indicated fatalities and injuries, with the casualty count continuing to be updated as evacuation and data collection progressed.

Residents passed in front of the damaged Hotel Jayakarta building in Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara. The Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency stated that a magnitude 6.2 earthquake with a depth of 10 km, located 46 kilometres northeast of Labuan Bajo, occurred at 06.13 WITA, following the earlier magnitude 7.7 earthquake northeast of Mbay Nagekeo, East Nusa Tenggara.

Employees and foreign tourists observed the damaged Hotel Jayakarta building in Labuan Bajo. Rescue teams brought equipment to support the search for victims at the earthquake-affected locations, with search operations conducted alongside damage and casualty assessments across several areas of Flores.