Devastating Earthquake in Eastern Indonesia
A 7.7 magnitude earthquake violently shook the coast of Flores Island, Indonesia, at 5:58 AM local time on Saturday, August 15, 2026. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter was located about 68 kilometers north-northwest of Ende city, in the East Nusa Tenggara province, at a shallow depth of 10 to 15 kilometers.
The severe tremor caused buildings and homes to collapse, leading to scenes of panic. The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics (BMKG) initially issued a tsunami alert for several provinces, including East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, West Nusa Tenggara, and Southeast Sulawesi. Fortunately, the alert was lifted shortly after, as no significant changes in sea level were recorded.
Casualties and Damage Assessment
The head of the National Disaster Management Agency confirmed in a press conference that the death of 38 people had been confirmed initially. Two were seriously injured, 11 sustained minor injuries, and about 2,000 people evacuated the area on their own. As hours passed, the death toll rose to 40, with some media outlets reporting up to 47 fatalities. Rescue teams recovered bodies mainly in the three most affected regencies: Sikka, Manggarai, and East Manggarai.
At least 13 people were urgently rushed to hospitals, two with severe injuries. Television footage showed rescuers searching for survivors among the rubble in the town of Maumere. National emergency protocols were activated, deploying security forces and medical brigades to assist survivors, clear roads blocked by landslides, and set up temporary camps.
Context: The Pacific Ring of Fire
For those unfamiliar with the region, Indonesia is a vast archipelago in Southeast Asia consisting of over 17,000 islands. It sits directly on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly active seismic and volcanic zone where multiple tectonic plates meet. This makes the country highly prone to earthquakes. One of the most tragic precedents occurred on December 26, 2004, when a 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra triggered a tsunami that left around 220,000 dead across several countries, with about 170,000 of those in Indonesia alone.
Tremor Shakes Southern Spain
Almost simultaneously, a 5 magnitude earthquake (according to Spain's National Geographic Institute) or 5.2 (per other sources) was recorded at 1:04 AM local time with its epicenter in Alhendín, Granada, a city in the southern European region of Andalusia. The depth was extremely shallow at just 2 kilometers.
The tremor caused material damage in several municipalities in the province of Granada, such as roof collapses, falling facade elements, and minor landslides in Armilla, a preventive evacuation in Las Gabias, and a power outage in Huétor Vega. No victims or injuries were reported. The quake was felt across much of Andalusia, generating over 80 calls to emergency services. The regional government activated Operational Situation 1 of the Seismic Risk Plan. Six minutes later, a 2.6 magnitude aftershock was recorded in Gójar.
Local Church Provides Support in Flores
According to Vatican News, the Catholic Church on Flores Island mobilized to provide spiritual and material assistance to the victims. Local priests and volunteers from the dioceses are collaborating with authorities to care for the injured and organize temporary shelters.
This new disaster adds to a week of intense global seismic activity: between August 7 and 14, 98 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5 or higher were recorded worldwide, according to the USGS, including a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in Colombia on August 10.