At least 5 dead after powerful earthquake strikes Indonesia

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, collapsing buildings and homes, killing at least five people and causing panic in a region prone to deadly quakes.Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities.The U.S Geological Survey said the quake hit Indonesia's Flores region at 5:58 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 42 miles north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks. Damaged houses are seen following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake in Ruteng, Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara, on August 15, 2026. SELO /AFP via Getty Images East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said preliminary reports indicate two fatalities in Sikka Regency and three in Manggarai Regency as the earthquake caused severe damage and collapsed buildings. He said power outages in cities and villages have hampered the flow of information and complicated search and ...