1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami
| UTC time | 1992-12-12 05:29:26 |
|---|---|
| ISC event | 257091 |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| Local date | 12 December 1992 |
| Local time | 13:29 WITA (Indonesia Central Standard Time) |
| Magnitude | 7.7 Mw |
| Depth | 27.7 km (17.2 mi) |
| Epicenter | 8°28′48″S 121°53′46″E / 8.480°S 121.896°E |
| Areas affected | Flores Indonesia |
| Max. intensity | MMI VIII (Severe) |
| Peak acceleration | 1.086 g |
| Peak velocity | 116.03 cm/s |
| Tsunami | Yes (26 m (85 ft)) |
| Casualties | 2,080 - 2,500 dead 500 - 2,144 injured |
The 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami occurred on 12 December on the island of Flores in Indonesia. With a magnitude of 7.7 and a maximum Mercalli intensity of VIII (Severe), it was the largest and the deadliest earthquake in 1992 and in the Lesser Sunda Islands region, with at least 2,500 people killed. The earthquake generated an unusually large tsunami for its size; a submarine landslide is suspected.
The earthquake was caused by slip on the Flores Thrust fault. This fault dips to the south underneath Flores Island, and is part of the back-arc thrust of Indonesia. The epicenters of most earthquakes on the Flores Thrust are on Flores Island. The area often experiences large earthquakes, with multiple impacting the area since 1992, such as the 2018 Lombok earthquakes, which were produced by the Flores thrust, and the 2021 Flores earthquake. The Flores thrust itself has produced at least six tsunamigenic earthquakes since 1800.