Earthquake in Indonesia on Flores Island: toll, causes and LIFE ONG humanitarian aid
📅 Published on 24 August 2026 · Updated on 24 August 2026 · Reading time: 6 min
- A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the island of Flores (Indonesia) on 15 August 2026 at 5:00 a.m. local time.
- Official toll as of 18 August 2026 (source: BNPB via AFP): 70 dead, 1,100 injured, more than 40,000 people displaced.
- The epicentre was located 68 km north-west of Ende, in the province of East Nusa Tenggara.
- A tsunami warning was issued and then lifted after three hours.
- LIFE ONG is deploying an emergency operation for 400 families (drinking water, hygiene kits, food kits), with distributions starting on 27-28 August 2026, coordinated on the ground by Mouhamadou Gaye.
- 1992
An earthquake of the same magnitude (7.7) hits Flores and triggers a devastating tsunami that kills around 2,500 people.
- 15 August 2026, ~5:00 a.m.
Magnitude 7.7 earthquake off the northern coast of Flores, about 68 km north-west of Ende, at a depth of 15 km.
- About 3 hours later
The tsunami warning issued by the BMKG is lifted: the waves observed did not exceed one metre.
- 18 August 2026
Official BNPB toll: 70 dead, 1,100 injured and more than 40,000 people displaced.
- State of emergency
The Indonesian government places the province of East Nusa Tenggara under a 14-day state of emergency.
- 27-28 August 2026
LIFE ONG distributions begin for 400 affected families on the island of Flores.
What we know about the earthquake
The story in 30 seconds
On 15 August 2026, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake shook the Indonesian island of Flores (East Nusa Tenggara). The provisional toll as of 18 August stands at 70 dead, 1,100 injured and more than 40,000 people displaced. In response to this disaster, the French NGO LIFE ONG is launching an emergency operation for 400 families, with distributions of drinking water, hygiene kits and food kits planned for late August 2026.
Timeline and key facts about the earthquake
The earthquake struck on Saturday 15 August 2026, shortly before 5:00 a.m. local time (10:00 p.m. GMT on Friday 14 August), off the northern coast of the island of Flores, in Indonesia.
| Feature | Data |
|---|---|
| Date | 15 August 2026, ~5:00 a.m. local time |
| Magnitude | 7.7 (Richter scale) |
| Depth | 15 km |
| Epicentre | About 68 km north-west of Ende, off the northern coast of Flores |
| Province affected | East Nusa Tenggara (eastern Indonesia) |
| Aftershocks recorded | 341 (after one day) |
| Tsunami warning | Issued then lifted after ~3 hours (waves < 1 m) |
| Fault type | Flores back-arc thrust fault (reverse fault) |
The Indonesian Agency for Meteorology and Geophysics (BMKG) issued a tsunami warning immediately after the tremor. The waves observed did not exceed one metre and the warning was lifted around three hours later (source: Alertes-Météo).
Updated toll as of 18 August 2026
The latest official toll released by the BNPB (Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency) and relayed by AFP on 18 August 2026 is as follows:
- 70 dead confirmed
- 1,100 injured (ten times more than the previous day's toll)
- More than 40,000 people displaced (compared with 12,800 the previous day)
- 160 homes severely damaged or destroyed
- 93 education facilities affected
- 36 health facilities affected
- 38 government buildings affected
(source: France 24 / AFP, 18 August 2026)
The toll remains provisional: several villages are still hard to reach because of landslides that have cut off the main roads, and rescue teams are continuing to search collapsed buildings.
The worst-affected areas
The earthquake affected several districts in the province of East Nusa Tenggara, with the following breakdown of deaths reported by the authorities:
| Area | Confirmed deaths |
|---|---|
| Manggarai | 24 |
| East Manggarai | 17 |
| Sikka | 3 |
| Ngada | At least 1 |
| Ende | At least 1 |
| West Manggarai | At least 1 |
The port cities of Maumere (northern coast) and Ruteng suffered major material damage, with buildings, banks, schools and places of worship collapsing (source: Le Devoir / AFP). Isolated villages such as Talibura and Nangahale have been without electricity or telecommunications since the tremor.
Why Flores is exposed to earthquakes
Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the most seismically active zones in the world. Flores in particular lies along the Flores back-arc thrust fault, a reverse (“thrust”) fault where one block of the Earth's crust abruptly overrides another. This type of rupture produces both strong surface shaking and vertical displacement of the seabed that can generate tsunamis (source: Alertes-Météo).
A tragic precedent in 1992. The island of Flores was already hit in 1992 by an earthquake of the same magnitude (7.7). It triggered a devastating tsunami that killed around 2,500 people. That precedent explains the intense fear among residents and the rapid evacuations observed this time.
The humanitarian response
The international humanitarian response
Faced with the scale of the damage, several actors mobilised within the first few hours.
The Indonesian government placed the province of East Nusa Tenggara under a 14-day state of emergency and sent 50,000 kits representing 275 tonnes of humanitarian aid.
The European Union, through a message from Ursula von der Leyen, expressed its solidarity and made the Copernicus observation satellites available to help with ground reconnaissance and the location of potential victims.
The Indonesian Red Cross and Red Crescent mobilised their teams to bring aid to displaced people in temporary shelters.
Several international NGOs, including LIFE ONG, have committed to running targeted field operations to complement public schemes.
The LIFE ONG emergency operation: 400 families on Flores
As announced by the LIFE ONG team on 24 August 2026, a dedicated emergency operation is being deployed on the island of Flores to help the affected populations.
Objectives of the operation
- Number of families targeted: 400
- Types of aid distributed:
- Drinking water (jerry cans, purifiers)
- Hygiene kits (soap, menstrual products, toothbrushes)
- Emergency food kits (non-perishable, ready-to-eat items)
- Schedule: Distributions starting on 27-28 August 2026
- Field coordination: Mouhamadou Gaye, spokesperson for LIFE ONG, currently on assignment in Bangladesh, will travel to Indonesia to lead the operation on site.
Why this operation is crucial
The essential needs identified by the Indonesian authorities match LIFE ONG's long-standing intervention format exactly: water, hygiene, food. On the ground, residents voiced their most urgent needs within the first few hours: “We need food, something to drink, medicine and nappies for the children”, summed up Umri, 55, in an account collected by AFP in Nangahale.
LIFE ONG usually works in 25 countries through a network of local partners, with proven experience in emergency distribution in disaster-hit areas. Our dedicated article emergency food aid: how NGOs feed people in crisis zones looks at this method in detail.
How can you concretely support the victims?
There are three ways to contribute.
Online donation: A one-off or recurring donation on the dedicated Indonesia emergency page. Every euro given directly funds aid in the field, with a 66% tax reduction for French taxpayers.
Sharing: Relaying the information and the emergency page on your social networks helps broaden the mobilisation and raise awareness of this disaster among the people around you.
In-kind donations through a local partner: If you live in South-East Asia or want to organise a local collection, contact the LIFE ONG teams to identify the current priority needs.
To understand the link between a one-off donation and real impact in crisis zones, read our analysis solidarity food parcels: how they work.
Your donation directly funds the distribution of water, hygiene kits and food kits for the 400 families targeted on the island of Flores. Distribution begins at the end of August 2026.
Support the Indonesia emergency operation →Tax reduction of 66% of the amount donated, up to 20% of taxable income.
What was the exact magnitude of the Flores earthquake of 15 August 2026?
The earthquake measured 7.7 on the Richter scale, according to data from the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology and Geophysics (BMKG). It occurred at a depth of 15 km, with an epicentre located about 68 kilometres north-west of the city of Ende, off the northern coast of Flores.
How many people were affected by the earthquake?
According to the toll released on 18 August 2026 by the BNPB (Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency) and relayed by AFP: 70 dead, 1,100 injured and more than 40,000 people displaced. This toll remains provisional, as several villages are still hard to reach because of landslides.
Was a tsunami warning issued?
Yes. The BMKG agency issued a tsunami warning immediately after the tremor. It was lifted after about three hours, as the waves observed did not exceed one metre in height. By comparison, the earthquake of the same magnitude that hit Flores in 1992 triggered a tsunami that killed around 2,500 people.
What is LIFE ONG doing to help the victims?
LIFE ONG is deploying an emergency operation for 400 affected families on the island of Flores, with distributions of drinking water, hygiene kits and food kits. Distributions start on 27-28 August 2026, coordinated by Mouhamadou Gaye, spokesperson for LIFE ONG, who is currently mobilised in South-East Asia. The operation can be supported through the dedicated page life-ong.org/urgence-indonesie.
Can I make a tax-deductible donation?
Yes. LIFE ONG is an NGO recognised as being of public interest: every donation entitles you to an income tax reduction of 66% of the amount given, up to 20% of taxable income. A donation of €100 for the Indonesia operation therefore only really costs €34 after the tax deduction. A tax receipt is sent automatically after the donation.
How can I follow how the situation is developing on Flores?
Official updates are published by the BNPB (Badan Nasional Penanggulangan Bencana) and relayed by international news agencies (AFP, Reuters). LIFE ONG will regularly publish progress updates on its website and social networks, with concrete results from the field distributions carried out by Mouhamadou Gaye's teams.
- France 24 / AFP — Earthquake in Indonesia: 70 dead, sharp rise in the number of displaced and injured (18 August 2026)
- Le Devoir / AFP — A magnitude 7.7 earthquake in the Flores region kills at least 40 people (17 August 2026)
- Alertes-Météo — Indonesia: magnitude 7.7 earthquake on the island of Flores (16 August 2026)
- France 24 — Earthquake in Indonesia: at least 51 dead, thousands evacuated awaiting aid (16 August 2026)
- Informed Clearly — Magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Indonesia: 38 dead and a tsunami warning (15 August 2026)
- Nouvelles du Monde — Earthquake in Indonesia: at least 47 dead on the island of Flores (16 August 2026)
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