1977 Sumba, Indonesia Earthquake

A magnitude 8.3 earthquake — a great event — struck near 1977 Sumba, Indonesia Earthquake on August 19, 1977, at a shallow depth of about 16 km. An earthquake this size would have been felt strongly across the surrounding region; shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they tend to cause the strongest shaking and the most damage. Shallow magnitude 8.3 events near a coastline can also pose a tsunami risk. Casualties, damage and the recovery depend on local building standards, population and distance from the epicentre — the news coverage, references and photos below capture what happened on the ground.