NTT Earthquake Felt in Bima, NTB; Coastal Residents Evacuate to Hills

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook Nagekeo Regency, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), this morning. Tremors were also felt in Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).

A number of residents in Bima rushed out of their homes when the earthquake struck. Residents from Bugis Village, Sape District, and Sangiang Village, Wera District, evacuated to hilly areas for fear of a tsunami.

‘When the earthquake happened, we immediately ran out of our houses. Some packed their belongings and fled to the hills,’ said Andri, a resident of Bugis Village, on Saturday (15/8/2026).

Andri explained that some villagers chose to seek safety in the hills because they were afraid of a tsunami. According to him, shortly after the earthquake, the seawater in the Bugis Village coastal area receded and rose rapidly.

‘Many were frightened seeing the seawater ebb and flow after the tremors,’ Andri added.

The Head of Emergency and Logistics at Bima Regency’s Regional Disaster Management Agency (BPBD), Nurul Huda, confirmed that the tremors were felt as far as Bima, NTB. He stated that residents who had temporarily fled to the hills have now returned to their respective homes.

‘Our team on the ground continues to monitor, appeal to, and educate the public not to panic,’ Huda said.

‘For now, based on incoming reports, the Lambitu District office has cracks in its walls, and the fence and wall of a resident’s house in Rabakodo, Woha District, have collapsed,’ he added.

Based on updated data, the epicentre of the M 7.7 earthquake was located at sea at a depth of 15 kilometres, approximately 38 kilometres northeast of Mbay, Nagekeo. The tremors were felt strongly in several areas of NTT, NTB, and even South Sulawesi.

Earlier, the Head of the Kupang Geophysics Station, Arief Tyastama, revealed that BMKG analysis showed the earthquake’s epicentre was located at coordinates 8.41° South latitude and 121.39° East longitude. The earthquake was centred 30 kilometres north of Mbay, Nagekeo, NTT, at a depth of 15 km.

‘The earthquake that occurred is a shallow earthquake caused by active fault activity. The source mechanism analysis indicates that the earthquake had a thrust faulting mechanism,’ Arief said in a statement.

Based on BMKG observations up to 08:45 WITA, a total of 44 aftershocks were recorded in the NTT region. Arief urged the public to remain calm and to ensure they access official information through BMKG’s official channels.