A powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Indonesia on Friday, according to the US Geological Survey, prompting officials to urgently issue a tsunami warning.
The major quake hit the Flores region at about 4:58 a.m. local time and originated at a depth of 21.75 miles, Reuters reported.
At least three aftershocks were recorded afterward by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre, intensifying concerns among Indonesian authorities about the potential for a tsunami.
No public details were immediately available on the scale of damage or possible casualties.
However, videos filmed by residents along Indonesia’s coastline appeared to show buildings shaking and collapsing as terrified crowds rushed into open areas to avoid falling debris and the unfolding chaos.
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After the initial earthquake, footage also showed the shoreline suddenly pulling back — a sign that the trough, or lowest section, of a possible tsunami wave may have reached the coast.
The dramatic retreat of the water exposed parts of the seafloor, raising fears that a powerful surge could follow.
Earthquakes and tsunami threats are a persistent danger in Indonesia, a vast archipelago positioned on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” one of the world’s most active zones for seismic and volcanic activity.
The quake comes after a devastating 7.4 magnitude earthquake slammed Colombia Monday, the strongest in over a decade.
