Ruteng, Indonesia — A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Flores Island on Monday morning, shaking communities near Ruteng in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province. This is the second quake near Ruteng in two days, following a magnitude 5.2 there over the weekend.

What happened: The quake hit at 7:06 AM Central Time — 8:06 PM Monday evening local time in Indonesia — centered about 56 kilometers north of Ruteng at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, roughly six miles underground. Shallow quakes like this one tend to be felt more strongly at the surface. The U.S. Geological Survey has reviewed and confirmed the event.

Impacts: The USGS has flagged no tsunami threat from this quake, and no damage reports had shown up in the agency's early data. No felt reports were listed at the time of publication.

What to do:

- If shaking starts, drop to the ground, take cover under sturdy furniture, and hold on until it stops.

- Stay clear of windows, glass, and anything that could topple.

- Once the shaking ends, check for gas leaks, damaged wiring, and cracked walls before re-entering a building.

- Expect aftershocks — smaller quakes can keep coming for hours or days.

Source: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), October 19, 2026.