Indonesia earthquake death toll rises to 38 as rescue efforts continue VIDEO/UPDATED

The death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia early on August 15 has risen to at least 38, officials said, as rescue teams worked to reach areas closest to the epicentre, Reuters reports. 

Tsunami waves of less than one metre were recorded in several areas after the early morning earthquake. Authorities lifted the tsunami warning about three hours after the quake.

10:37

The death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia early on August 15 has risen to at least 20, according to Agence France-Presse (AFP), citing rescue workers.

Earlier reports had put the number of fatalities at five following the earthquake, which struck the Flores region at 4:58 a.m. local time.

09:00

A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least five people and damaging buildings and homes across Flores Island, according to local authorities.

The earthquake struck at 4:58 a.m. local time at a depth of about 15 kilometres (9 miles) in the Flores region, Indonesia’s geophysics agency BMKG said. The epicentre was located off the island’s northern coast, about 68 kilometres (42 miles) northwest of the coastal town of Ende, The Guardian reports.

🚨 The earthquake in Indonesia was magnitude 7.7. For many people, the early morning began with disaster. 🇮🇩#Indonesia #Earthquake #BreakingNews #EarthquakeAlert pic.twitter.com/c4edaQnCEh

— Mahrosh Pervaiz (@MahroshPervaiz1) August 15, 2026

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena said five people were killed after rubble fell on them while they were sleeping. The national disaster agency BNPB initially reported one death and four injuries.

🚨7.7-magnitude earthquake hits Indonesia, killing 2; several buildings collapse, people injured and tsunami warning issued pic.twitter.com/tHF3zME7dy

— The Tatva (@thetatvaindia) August 15, 2026

Authorities issued a tsunami warning shortly after the earthquake, prompting residents in areas near the epicentre to flee to higher ground. The warning was later lifted after BMKG said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes posing a threat to coastal communities.

A powerful 7.7-magnitude undersea earthquake struck off the northern coast of Indonesia's Flores Island, triggering tsunami warnings across several coastal provinces. Indonesian meteorological agencies urged residents in impacted areas to evacuate immediately to higher ground and… pic.twitter.com/lcbLMBfpfy

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) August 15, 2026

Tsunami waves of less than one metre (three feet) were recorded in several areas. Dozens of aftershocks followed the main earthquake, including one measuring 6.1 in magnitude.

5.58 am. A 7.7 #eathquake . Buildings down, at least two dead, in #Indonesia 's #Flores region.
The tsunami warning that followed has already been lifted, officials found no dangerous sea level change. But the aftershocks have not stopped, one hit 6.1.
A hospital waiting room… pic.twitter.com/fOhs2Xu5A7

— Rizwan Ashraffi (@rizwanace) August 15, 2026

The earthquake was felt across much of Flores, with initial reports indicating widespread damage. Television footage showed residents evacuating areas in Nagekeo Regency amid rubble from damaged buildings, while video verified by Reuters from a port in Maumere showed part of a building collapsing as people fled into the streets.

Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, a zone of intense seismic and volcanic activity.

By Sabina Mammadli