A Shattered Island: Indonesia's Quake Prone Past Catches Up Again The Indonesian archipelago has long been a region of seismic turmoil, where the subduction of tectonic plates beneath the country's vast islands has spawned countless earthquakes and tsunamis.
The latest disaster to strike is a 7. 7 magnitude quake that ravaged Flores island on Saturday. Indonesia's unique geography makes it prone to powerful quakes.
Located at the intersection of four tectonic plates, the country sits atop the "Ring of Fire," an arc of intense seismic activity stretching from Japan through Southeast Asia and across the Pacific basin.