7.7-magnitude earthquake strikes Indonesia; tsunami warnings issued

A 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island in eastern Indonesia early Saturday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The U.S. agency located the epicenter off the northern coast of the island, approximately 68 kilometers northwest of Ende Regency, at a shallow depth of just 10 kilometers.

A spokesperson for the National Disaster Management Agency urged communities along the northern coast of Flores Island, in southern areas, on southern islands, and in the southern region to self-evacuate immediately.

The spokesperson told local Kompas TV that residents must “stay away from the shore, either by moving inland for more than two kilometers or by relocating to mountainous areas with an elevation exceeding 10 meters.”