December 12, 1992 Earthquake: Flores Region, Maumere, Babi, Indonesia

At least 2,500 people killed or missing in the Flores region, including 1,490 at Maumere and 700 on Babi. More than 500 people were injured and 90,000 were left homeless. Nineteen people killed and 130 houses destroyed on Kalaotoa. Severe damage, with approximately 90 percent of the buildings destroyed at Maumere by the earthquake and tsunami; 50 to 80 percent of the structures on Flores were damaged or destroyed. Damage also occurred on Sumba and Alor. The tsunami on Flores ran inland as much as 300 meters with wave heights of 25 meters. Landslides and ground cracks were reported at several locations on the island. Felt (V) at Larantuka, Flores; (IV) at Waingapu, Sumba and Ujung Pandang, Sulawesi; (II) at Kupang, Timor. Depth from broadband displacement seismograms. FAULT PLANE SOLUTION: P-Waves NP1:Strike=85 Dip=40 Slip=90 NP2:Strike=265 Dip=50 Slip=90 Principal Axes: (T) Plg=85 Azm=175 (P) Plg=5 Azm=355 Comment: The focal mechanism is poorly controlled and corresponds to reverse faulting. The preferred fault plane is not determined. RADIATED ENERGY No. of sta: 17 Focal mech. M Energy 6.6+1.0*10**15 Nm MOMENT TENSOR SOLUTION Dep 49 No. of sta: 16 Moment Tensor; Scale 10**20 Nm Mrr=1.22 Mtt=-1.37 Mff=0.15 Mrt=-0.10 Mrf=0.46 Mtf=-0.14 Principal axes: (T) Val=1.40 Plg=69 Azm=261 (N) Val=-0.01 Plg=21 Azm=86 (P) Val=-1.38 Plg=1 Azm=355 Best Double Couple:Mo=1.4*10**20 NP1:Strike=65 Dip=47 Slip=61 NP2:Strike=284 Dip=50 Slip=118 CENTROID, MOMENT TENSOR (HRV) Data Used: GDSN M.W.: 37S, **C Centroid Location: Origin Time 05:29:49.9 0.1 Lat 8.34S 0.01 Lon 122.49E 0.01 Dep 20.4 0.4 Half-duration 17.8 Moment Tensor; Scale 10**20 Nm Mrr=4.94 0.05 Mtt=-4.74 0.03 Mff=-0.20 0.03 Mrt=-0.72 0.14 Mrf=-0.48 0.17 Mtf=-1.17 0.02 Principal Axes: (T) Val=5.02 Plg=84 Azm=130 (N) Val=0.07 Plg=3 Azm=256 (P) Val=-5.09 Plg=5 Azm=346 Best Double Couple:Mo=5.1*10**20 NP1:Strike=80 Dip=40 Slip=95 NP2:Strike=253 Dip=50 Slip=86

On December 12, 1992, a magnitude 7.5 Ms (USGS) earthquake at 05:29 UT occurred in the Flores, Indonesia, region producing a tsunami that reached shore in five minutes. The source was a thrust fault dipping 32 degrees to the south and extending about 110 km from Cape Batumanuk to Cape Bunga. The earthquake and tsunami caused at least 2,080 fatalities or missing people, including 1,490 in Maurnere, Flores, and 700 on Babi Island. More than 500 were seriously injured and 90,000 were left homeless. The number of destroyed or damaged structures included 30,789 homes, 808 schools, 188 churches and mosques. Nineteen people were killed and 130 houses were destroyed on Kalootoa Island 120 km north of Flores Island. On Flores fifty to eighty percent of the buildings were damaged or destroyed including ninety percent of the buildings at Maumere. (reference #1315)

At least 2,500 people killed or missing in the Flores region, including 1,490 at Maumera and 700 on Babi. More than 500 people were injured and 90,000 were left homeless. Nineteen people killed and 130 houses destroyed on Kalootoa. Severe damage, with approximately 90 percent of the buildings destroyed at Maumere by the earthquake and tsunami; 50 to 80 percent of the structures on Flores were damaged or destroyed. Damage also occurred on Sumba and Alar. The tsunami on Flores ran inland as much as 300 meters with waves heights of 25 m. Landslides and ground cracks were reported at several locations on the island. (reference #1053)

Reference #1250 lists 2500 fatalities, $100 million damage, (Swiss Reinsurance Co. lists 2484 fatalities).