A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia, and the death toll has risen to at least 38 people, according to Italian news agency ANSA. The quake hit the island of Flores, where rescue and assessment efforts are ongoing.
ANSA reports that the casualty figure was confirmed as of Saturday, August 15, 2026. The agency also noted that a group of 13 Italian tourists from Bologna are stranded on Flores due to the earthquake. The tourists have told ANSA that aftershocks are continuing, making conditions on the island unstable.
Other Italian outlets, including Il Fatto Quotidiano and Il Post, have also covered the disaster, with Il Fatto Quotidiano citing a death toll of 40. The discrepancy in figures suggests that the number of victims may still be changing as information from the affected areas is updated.
Indonesia is frequently hit by earthquakes because it sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a zone of intense seismic activity, as explained by Italian news agency AGI. This geological reality means that strong tremors are a recurring threat for the country's population.
The situation remains fluid, with rescue teams working to reach affected communities and verify the full scale of the damage. The stranded Italian tourists are reportedly safe but waiting for conditions to improve before they can leave Flores.
What to watch next: Whether the death toll rises further as rescuers reach more remote areas of Flores, and how authorities manage the ongoing aftershock risk.
