A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, according to the US Geological Survey. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
The quake hit Indonesia's Flores region at a depth of 10km at 5:58am on Saturday Indonesia time. Its epicentre was 68km (42 miles) north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.
The initial quake was followed by two aftershocks.
Indonesia's meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency issued a tsunami warning and urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. The agency located the shallow undersea quake near Flores island. Residents along affected coastlines were advised to move to higher ground as officials are closely monitoring coastal tide gauges for any changes.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, is prone to earthquakes and volcanic activity because of its location on the "Ring of Fire", an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.
Separately, Australia's tsunami warning centre said the undersea earthquake will have "no tsunami threat to the Australian mainland, islands or territories".
Impact of the earthquake
As of now, there are no official reports of casualties or damage. Local authorities are monitoring the situation and are ready to provide assistance if needed.
Tsunami warning
Indonesia's meteorological agency is taking measures to evacuate residents of coastal areas due to the tsunami threat. Residents are advised to stay away from beaches and riverbanks, and to move to higher ground.
Seismic activity in the region
Indonesia is located on the "Ring of Fire", so earthquakes are frequent here. The region has many volcanoes and tectonic faults.
Australia's response
Australia's tsunami warning centre said the earthquake poses no threat to Australia. There is no tsunami threat to the mainland, islands, or territories.
Conclusion
The aftermath of the earthquake is still being assessed. Authorities are monitoring the situation and urging residents to follow safety measures.