{"id":46795,"date":"2026-08-15T14:47:29","date_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:47:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=46795"},"modified":"2026-08-15T14:47:29","modified_gmt":"2026-08-15T09:47:29","slug":"indonesia-earthquake-death-toll-at-least-20-people-buildings-collapse","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=46795","title":{"rendered":"Indonesia earthquake death toll at least 20 people, buildings collapse"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<br \/><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content%2Fuploads%2Fsites%2F2%2F2026%2F08%2Fnewspress-collage-9usubkvwj-1786786282101.jpg?quality%3D90%26strip%3Dall%261786771929\" \/><\/p>\n<div>\n<p>A powerful magnitude<a href=\"https:\/\/nypost.com\/2026\/08\/14\/world-news\/tsunami-warning-issued-after-massive-7-7-magnitude-earthquake-rattles-indonesia\/\"> 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia <\/a>early Saturday, killing at least 20 people, collapsing buildings and homes as well as causing panic in a\u00a0region prone to deadly quakes.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities said six people were injured, and two others were missing after a landslide triggered by the quake.<\/p>\n<p>Authorities issued a tsunami warning and urged coastal residents to move to higher ground, but later lifted the warning when Indonesia\u2019s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said monitoring showed no significant sea-level changes that would pose a threat to coastal communities.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Rescuers search for survivors through the rubble of a collapsed building after an earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia on Aug. 15, 2026. <span class=\"credit\">Anadolu via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The US Geological Survey said the quake hit Indonesia\u2019s Flores region with a depth of about 6.2 miles at 5:58 a.m. local time.<\/p>\n<p>Its epicenter was 42 miles north-northwest of the city of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"single__inline-module aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-primary-tag\">\n<\/aside>\n<p>The initial quake was followed by several aftershocks.<\/p>\n<p>The head of the Maumere Search and Rescue Agency, Fathur Rahman, said rescuers have recovered at least 20 bodies in the three devastated regencies of Sikka, West Manggarai, and East Manggarai, including eight bodies that were pulled from a landslide in the village of Reok in Manggarai.<\/p>\n<p>Six people were rushed to nearby hospitals with severe injuries.<\/p>\n<p>He said rescuers were still searching for two villagers believed to be buried under tons of mud that tumbled down from the surrounding hills in a landslide triggered by the quake.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A man is treated for injuries outside a hospital in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia. <span class=\"credit\">IGNASIUS KUNDA\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>First responders search for victims inside a destroyed building in Maumere on Aug. 15, 2026. <span class=\"credit\">BASARNAS\/HANDOUT\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>East Nusa Tenggara Police Chief Rudi Darmoko said the earthquake caused severe damage and collapsed buildings.<\/p>\n<p>He said power outages in cities and villages have hampered the flow of information and complicated search and rescue efforts.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are continuing to collect reports of damage and casualties, but there are communication disruptions,\u201d Darmoko said. He said that landslides in Ende regency triggered by the earthquake also cut off the Trans-Flores highway, a roughly 435-mile paved mountain road spanning Flores Island, from Labuan Bajo to Larantuka.<\/p>\n<p>Footage on local television showed patients at several hospitals being evacuated from buildings as a precaution following the quake.<\/p>\n<div class=\"single__inline-module inline-module inline-module--newsletter aligncenter inline-module--nypostbusinessunit aligncenter wp-block-nypost-editor-newsletter\" data-source-unit=\"Inline Newsletter Module Morning Report\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__inner\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__title-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"inline-module__unsubmitted-title-wrapper\">\n<h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tStart your day with all you need to know\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<p class=\"inline-module__cta\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMorning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more.\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p><h3 class=\"inline-module__title headline headline--combo-sm-md\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThanks for signing up!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Hospital staff moved equipment outdoors, including beds, IV stands and oxygen cylinders, and set up temporary treatment areas to adapt to emergency conditions.<\/p>\n<p>The National Disaster Management Agency deployed a helicopter to assist with logistics and support emergency response operations, including possible evacuations if needed, the agency said in a statement.<\/p>\n<p>The air support is considered crucial given East Nusa Tenggara\u2019s geography, which consists of numerous islands and presents significant transportation and access challenges.<\/p>\n<p>It said about 2,000 villagers in Nagekeo regency fled their homes to temporary shelters.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A rescue team looks for people underneath a pile of rubble inside the ruins of the Laurensius Say Port on Aug. 15, 2026. <span class=\"credit\">AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>People begin to clean the rubble of a home destroyed in the earthquake. <span class=\"credit\">AP Photo\/Kurniawan<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Quake felt on Flores island and other areas<\/h2>\n<p>The quake was felt across much of Flores island with initial reports indicating heavy damage.<\/p>\n<p>Yohanna Embu, a resident of Sikka regency, said a number of buildings were damaged by the strong shaking and panicked people ran to higher ground.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMany buildings here were damaged \u2026 I saw that the waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere had collapsed,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<p>Students at St. Peter Major Seminary in Sikka who were attending morning Mass fled in panic when the roof of an assembly hall collapsed, said the Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga, rector of the seminary, which is known locally as Ritapiret Seminary on the predominantly Catholic island of Flores.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur students and nuns ran out in panic beneath a collapsing roof,\u201d Tanga said. \u201cAt least one priest suffered a broken leg after jumping from the second floor of a building during the quake.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A home left destroyed after the 7.7 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Indonesia. <span class=\"credit\">IGNASIUS KUNDA\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>Military and rescue personnel work through debris of a building searching for survivors. <span class=\"credit\">Anadolu via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The quake also reportedly caused panic in Labuan Bajo, a gateway town to eastern Indonesia\u2019s\u00a0Komodo National Park, one of the country\u2019s best-known attractions.<\/p>\n<p>Damage was also reported in Bima, a city in neighboring West Nusa Tenggara province, and in some parts of southern Sulawesi island.<\/p>\n<p>Indonesian authorities initially issued a tsunami warning for parts of East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, and urged residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks.<\/p>\n<p>The agency located the shallow undersea quake near Flores island.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>People evacuate from a destroyed hotel in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. <span class=\"credit\">REUTERS<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"nyp-slideshow-modal-image wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><figcaption>A man cries as he inspects the damage to his family home on Aug. 15, 2026. <span class=\"credit\">IGNASIUS KUNDA\/EPA\/Shutterstock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Indonesia prone to earthquakes<\/h2>\n<p>Indonesia, a vast archipelago of more than 17,000 islands,\u00a0is prone to earthquakes\u00a0and volcanic activity because of its location on the \u201cRing of Fire,\u201d an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.<\/p>\n<p>A powerful earthquake caused a tsunami in 1992 that killed about 2,500 people on Flores, part of a group of islands in the eastern half of Indonesia.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 quake spawned a large localized tsunami that wiped out coastal areas, while liquefaction caused by the shaking turned entire neighborhoods into rivers of sludge in the eastern Indonesian city of\u00a0Palu, on the Palu-Koro Fault.<\/p>\n<p>The disaster killed more than 4,400 people.<\/p>\n<p>In 2010, a 10-foot wave struck the Mentawai Islands, off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia, just minutes after a massive offshore earthquake.<\/p>\n<p>More than 400 people were killed and hundreds of homes were destroyed.<\/p>\n<p>In December 2004, a massive magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra in western Indonesia triggered\u00a0a tsunami that killed 230,000 people\u00a0in a dozen countries.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia early Saturday, killing at least 20 people, collapsing buildings and homes as well as causing panic in a\u00a0region prone to deadly quakes. Authorities said six people were injured, and two others were missing after a landslide triggered by the quake. Authorities issued a tsunami&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":46796,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/nypost.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/08\/newspress-collage-9usubkvwj-1786786282101.jpg?quality=75&strip=all&1786771929&w=1200","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-46795","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pics-news"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46795","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=46795"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46795\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/46796"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=46795"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=46795"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=46795"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}