Indonesia lifts tsunami warning after powerful earthquake

JAKARTA

Indonesia lifted a tsunami warning issued early on Tuesday after a magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck the East Nusa Tenggara region.

The tremors sparked panic in the earthquake-prone area, with videos broadcast by local news channels showing people running away from buildings.

The quake’s epicenter was around Larantuka, on the eastern end of Flores Island.

An initial tsunami alert was put out for Maluku, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, North Sulawesi, but retracted within a few hours.

Dwikorita Karnawati, head of Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG), said monitors only picked up a minor tsunami wave in the region.

“No casualties have been reported so far. People can return to their homes, but they should remain alert for aftershocks and make sure their buildings are safe,” she said at a news conference in the capital Jakarta.​​​​​​​