Powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake strikes off Indonesia with tsunami warning

A 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Flores island in eastern Indonesia, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning.

Key points

• The US Geological Survey reported the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers with an epicenter 68 kilometers northwest of Ende.
• The initial tremor was followed by two significant aftershocks measuring 5.6 and 5.9 in magnitude.
• Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency issued a level 2 tsunami early warning for multiple regions.

Why it matters

The shallow earthquake exposes hundreds of thousands of people to severe shaking and potential tsunami impacts in a region frequently affected by seismic activity.