A powerful earthquake struck Indonesia, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami warning. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing AP.
According to the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG), the earthquake had a magnitude of 7.7. The epicenter was located at sea, approximately 30 kilometers northeast of the city of Mbay in East Nusa Tenggara province. The hypocenter was at a depth of about 15 kilometers.
Following the tremors, BMKG issued a tsunami warning for several regions of Indonesia. The high-risk zone includes territories of East Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi provinces. Specifically, the warning is in effect for the northern districts of Manggarai, Ngada, West Manggarai, Ende, and Sikka, as well as Selayar Island and several other areas.
For some regions, the SIAGA level has been declared, which implies a threat of significant sea-level rise. For other territories, the WASPADA level is in effect — a warning of possible tsunami waves.
The earthquake occurred on August 15 at 04:58 Western Indonesia Time. Initially, BMKG estimated its magnitude at 7.0, but later the figure was revised to 7.7.
After the main shock, new earthquakes were recorded in the region. In particular, BMKG reported a magnitude 6.2 tremor approximately 46 kilometers northeast of Labuan Bajo. The agency warned residents of possible aftershocks.
No information about casualties or damage has been received so far. Residents of coastal areas are advised to follow official BMKG announcements and comply with instructions from local authorities.