At least 14 people have died after a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck Indonesia early on Saturday, according to the country’s disaster mitigation agency. Several others were injured, with authorities warning that the casualty figures remain preliminary as search and rescue operations continue.
The earthquake struck Flores island shortly before 5am local time, at a depth of around 15 kilometres, according to Indonesia’s meteorology and geophysics agency. Dozens of aftershocks followed the main tremor, damaging buildings and leaving some people trapped under rubble.
Authorities launched rescue operations to locate and assist those affected by the earthquake. A tsunami warning was issued following the initial quake but was lifted around three hours later. Emergency teams continue to assess the extent of the damage and casualties.
