Origin time 12:28:00 UTC Magnitude 5.9 Mw Type Strike-slip | Duration 7 seconds Depth 10 km (6 mi) | |
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Date December 25, 1982 (1982-12-25) | ||
The 1982 Flores earthquake struck the island of Flores in Indonesia on December 25. Registering a moment magnitude of 5.9, according to the International Seismological Centre, it created landslides and was reportedly accompanied by a tsunami. The earthquake killed thirteen people and left 390 injured, also destroying 1,875 houses and 121 other buildings. The villages of Layahong and Oyong Barang were damaged by seven seconds of shaking.
The Lesser Sunda Islands lie in a region with frequent seismicity, and there is a history of tsunamis in the area. Both the subduction of the Australian Plate and the crust in the Flores Sea could be responsible for this activity.
The five most affected districts were evacuated of 6,000 people. The local and regional governments were petitioned for supplies like tents, medicine, and food. The earthquake was followed by several aftershocks.
In 1992, a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck the island. It was the deadliest earthquake of the year, killing roughly 2,500 people.