A significant earthquake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale occurred off the coast of Flores, Indonesia, at 5:58 AM local time (4:58 AM Hanoi time). The quake's epicenter was located at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately 68 kilometers from the town of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara province. Due to its relatively shallow depth, strong tremors were felt in the surrounding regions.

Both the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) confirmed the earthquake's magnitude, while the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported it as 7.6. Following the initial quake, two aftershocks measuring 5.6 and 5.9 were recorded in the same area. An additional earthquake of 6.1 magnitude occurred about 30 minutes later, located 58 kilometers north of Ende.

In response to the seismic activity, BMKG issued a tsunami warning, advising residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. Coastal communities were urged to move to higher ground as authorities closely monitored tidal gauges for any changes. Wijayanto, the head of the earthquake and tsunami center at BMKG, indicated that the earthquake could potentially generate tsunami waves between 0.5 to 3 meters high in East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and West Nusa Tenggara.

As of now, there have been no reports of casualties or significant damage; however, the situation is being closely evaluated. Lukas Lotar, a customer service representative at a hospital, recounted the chaos as patients fled during the tremors, stating, 'Suddenly everything shook, and I was panicked. The tremors were very strong, and I saw some walls had cracked.'

An AFP reporter noted that residents in Maumere, located about 2,400 kilometers away on Flores Island, were evacuating to higher ground. Observations indicated that the sea was receding, a phenomenon often associated with impending tsunami events. Indonesia, an archipelago of over 17,000 islands, is frequently affected by earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its position on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a seismic zone that stretches from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific Basin. The country previously experienced a devastating 9.1 magnitude earthquake in late 2004 off the coast of Sumatra, which triggered a tsunami that resulted in around 220,000 fatalities across the region, including approximately 170,000 in Indonesia.