Fresh 5.9 Quake Hits Indonesia’s Flores Region; Death Toll From Earlier 7.7 Tremor Rises To 54

August 17, 2026

Jakarta: A fresh magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores region early Monday, as the death toll from a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that hit eastern Indonesia days earlier rose to 54, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).

Fresh 5.9 quake strikes Flores

The latest earthquake occurred at a depth of around 10 kilometres, with its epicentre initially located at 8.57 degrees south latitude and 121.55 degrees east longitude, Anadolu News Agency reported, citing GFZ.

The fresh tremor came days after the magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck six regencies in eastern Flores Island, leaving widespread destruction across East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) province.

Following the latest tremor, Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami early warning. The warning was lifted at 7:30 a.m. local time after monitoring confirmed there had been no dangerous rise in sea levels along the affected coastal areas.

Death toll from 7.7 quake reaches 54

BNPB chief Suharyanto said on Monday that the death toll from the earlier 7.7-magnitude earthquake had risen to 54, while authorities continued assessing casualties and damage.

Rescue teams were providing medical assistance to hundreds of injured people. More than 12,000 people had been left homeless as of Sunday, with residential buildings and public facilities damaged by the earthquake.

Aftershocks were also continuing in the affected region, according to Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Homes, hospitals and schools damaged

Preliminary BNPB data showed that 157 homes were severely damaged, while 41 suffered moderate damage and 148 sustained light damage.

The earthquake also affected critical public infrastructure, including 87 educational facilities, 18 healthcare centres, six administrative offices and five places of worship.

A field hospital is being prepared at Golo Dukal Stadium after Manggarai Regional Hospital was damaged and local healthcare services were disrupted.

Indonesia launches major relief operation

Authorities have deployed land, sea and air transport, including 11 aircraft and helicopters, to deliver relief supplies and support evacuation operations in remote areas, including Palue Island in Sikka regency.

A major airlift operation was also launched from Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta to transport 50,000 aid packages weighing 275 tonnes to the affected region.

President Prabowo Subianto oversaw the initial dispatch of 10,500 aid packages that had arrived at the airbase for immediate deployment.

Indonesia sees multiple strong earthquakes

The latest developments follow a series of strong earthquakes that struck Indonesia on Saturday.

The National Centre for Seismology said in a post on X that a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck the Gulf of Tomini on Saturday night.

Earlier that afternoon, a magnitude 6.5 earthquake had struck Indonesia, hours after the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake in the Flores region.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck at 5:58 a.m. local time, with its epicentre located around 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende city in East Nusa Tenggara province. Several aftershocks followed the initial tremor.