Helen Sullivan

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores Island early on August 15, killing at least 51 people and leaving about 5,000 homeless. More than 900 homes and numerous schools, health facilities, places of worship and public buildings were severely damaged. At least 341 aftershocks were recorded, while a tsunami warning was later suspended after no significant rise in sea levels was detected. Around 2,000 people evacuated or moved to safety independently, and authorities sent aid to remote, mountainous communities as search-and-rescue operations continued.

A magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia’s Flores Island shortly before dawn on 15 August, killing at least 51 people and displacing more than 5,000. More than 900 households and hundreds of buildings were badly damaged, with casualties and destruction reported around Maumere Port and in East Nusa Tenggara. A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquake and lifted about three hours later when no significant sea-level rise was detected. Authorities said damage assessments were continuing in the remote, mountainous region, where aftershocks prompted residents to remain outdoors and avoid damaged buildings and coastal areas.

Hamas reportedly agreed to a comprehensive disarmament process in Gaza under the second phase of a US-mediated ceasefire, according to a senior Hamas official and President Donald Trump. The plan would require smaller armed groups to disarm first, followed by the dismantling of Hamas’s tunnels, weapons depots, and production facilities under Palestinian oversight and strict verification. Israel would withdraw its forces only as disarmament is completed, while an international stabilization force and new Palestinian police would provide security. Implementation has stalled for months, Israel says the proposal does not meet its demands, and recent Israeli attacks have continued to cause heavy casualties. Mediators from the United States, Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey are expected to meet in Cairo. Indonesia, which is involved in the proposed stabilization force, says it will not conduct military disarmament operations in Gaza.

The Houthis claimed a missile attack on Saudi Arabia after Saudi air strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, raising concerns about further regional escalation. The United States said it had fired on and disabled a tanker in the Gulf of Oman after the crew repeatedly attempted to evade its blockade of Iranian ports. The developments came amid ongoing US-Iran hostilities, negotiations involving Oman, and plans for a US-UK conference on the Strait of Hormuz. Threats to Red Sea shipping briefly pushed crude oil above $100 a barrel before prices fell after two Chinese-chartered tankers passed safely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.