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East Nusa Tenggara earthquake causes 70 deaths and thousands of aftershocks
A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday, August 15, 2026, triggering tsunamis across NTT, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi. The disaster has resulted in at least 70 deaths, 230 serious injuries, and 308 minor injuries, according to Basarnas data.
As of August 19, the Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) has recorded 2,768 aftershocks, with magnitudes ranging from 1.1 to 6.2. BMKG officials predict that seismic activity in the Flores Back-Arc zone will continue for the next three to four weeks. Authorities have advised residents to avoid buildings with structural cracks due to the ongoing risk of collapse.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry confirmed that several Chinese nationals were injured in the quake. Consular officials in Denpasar have activated emergency response mechanisms to provide aid and protection. Meanwhile, local authorities in Labuan Bajo have successfully evacuated tourists from various locations, including Padar Island, following the suspension of maritime services.
Entities
BMKG · Basarnas · China · East Nusa Tenggara · Flores
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The largest aftershock recorded reached a magnitude of 6.2. news.okezone.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] As of August 19, 2026, 2,768 aftershocks have been recorded. news.okezone.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] There were 230 people seriously injured and 308 people lightly injured.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Aftershock activity is expected to continue for the next 3 to 4 weeks. news.okezone.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The death toll from the earthquake reached 70 people.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Several Chinese citizens were injured in the earthquake. www.antaranews.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The earthquake triggered tsunamis in NTT, NTB, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi. news.okezone.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] A magnitude 7.7 earthquake occurred in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Saturday, August 15, 2026. www.antaranews.com · news.okezone.com