USGS estimated approximately 1.5 million people exposed to strong shaking
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia on Friday, triggering a tsunami warning for the region. No casualties or damage were immediately reported.
The earthquake’s epicenter was located about 40 miles northwest of Ende, a city on the southern coast of Flores Island, according to the USGS.
The agency estimated that approximately 1.5 million people were exposed to strong to severe shaking from the event. “Aftershocks, some potentially with strong shaking, may follow this earthquake,” the USGS said in a statement.
Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency issued a tsunami warning for the affected area, according to UPI. Residents were urged to stay away from beaches and riverbanks.
A 7.4-magnitude earthquake struck Colombia on Aug. 10, killing 273 people. Earlier, on June 24, twin earthquakes — the first a 7.2-magnitude shock, followed seconds later by another reaching magnitude 7.5 — killed more than 6,000 people in Venezuela.