Indonesia’s magnitude 7.7 quake kills at least 51, displaces thousands

More than 1,300 homes damaged and 5,000 people displaced as Indonesia grapples with one of its deadliest earthquakes in years.A powerful earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia has killed at least 51 people and forced about 5,000 people to evacuate, as rescue teams work to clear roads blocked by landslides and reach survivors still trapped under rubble.The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:58am local time on Saturday (21:58 GMT, Friday), with its epicentre about 68km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende, on Flores Island, East Nusa Tenggara province, according to the US Geological Survey, which put the depth at 10km (6.2 miles).Recommended Stories list of 2 itemslist 1 of 2On the ground in Indonesia following 7.7 magnitude earthquakelist 2 of 2Aftermath of deadly Indonesia earthquakeend of listThe earthquake, followed by some 341 aftershocks, is one of Indonesia’s deadliest in years.earthquake victims are treated in a temporary medical tent due to fears of aftershocks, in front of the Ruteng hospital in Manggarai, East Nusa Tenggara on August 15, 2026 [Juni Kriswanto/AFP]A total of 36 people were seriously injured and 77 more suffered minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus told a televised meeting on Sunday.More than 3,300 people in Sikka regency, one of the hard-hit areas, either fled their homes or were left stranded, taking shelter in a sports arena, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB.“The quake was massive, the shock was so strong, we were resting at home with family,” Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura village, told the Reuters news agency. “There were 13 of us inside the house, and we all ran to save ourselves.”In the port town of Maumere, some residents camped outside collapsed homes under tarpaulin tents, while others received treatment in a makeshift tent outside a local hospital.