New 5.9 Quake Hits Indonesia's Flores After Deadly Tremor

A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck Indonesia's Flores region on Thursday, according to the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) and the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC). The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.21 miles). No casualties or major damage have been reported so far.

The tremor comes days after a much stronger 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit off Flores Island on August 15 with its epicentre located about 68 km north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara. That shallow quake triggered landslides, damaged homes, schools, health facilities and government buildings and generated small tsunami waves of the highest reaching about 1.61 metres. A tsunami warning issued at the time was later lifted.

The August 15 disaster has killed at least 73 people also injured more than 900 and displaced nearly 60,000 residents of Indonesian authorities said. More than 3,000 aftershocks have been recorded since with keeping residents on edge and hampering rescue and relief efforts in areas where landslides and damaged roads have restricted access.