Thailand has placed its USAR Thailand urban search-and-rescue team on standby after two powerful earthquakes struck Indonesia on 15 August 2026, with some later tremors felt in five southern Thai provinces. Deputy Interior Minister Jeseth Thaiseth ordered the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) to prepare personnel, equipment and support systems for rapid deployment should Indonesian authorities request international rescue help. The instruction followed a major pre-dawn earthquake in Indonesia's Flores Region, centred on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province at 4.58am. The DDPM, citing the Thai Meteorological Department, put the magnitude at 7.7 and the depth at 10km. Rescue teams await possible request USAR Thailand is the country's National Urban Search and Rescue team, trained to support operations in built-up disaster areas. Jeseth said it must be ready to leave immediately if Indonesia asks other countries for assistance. The DDPM is continuing to exchange detailed information with relevant agencies and assess conditions in the affected area. On Flores, Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency, BNPB, said nearly 160 homes, dozens of education and health facilities, and other public buildings were damaged. Its chief, Suharyanto, said people were trapped in several buildings. "These will be the initial targets of the disaster response teams," Suharyanto said. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said preparations were being made to bring aid to around 2,000 people in temporary shelters. Indonesia's government sent 50,000 aid packages weighing 275 tonnes. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen offered the use of the EU's Copernicus Earth observation satellites, writing on X: "Europe stands ready to deploy Copernicus, our eyes in the sky, to support search and rescue efforts. Indonesia, we stand with you." Tremors reported in southern Thailand Later, a second earthquake, measured at magnitude 6.9, struck north of Indonesia's western Sumatra island. It occurred at a depth of 158km, with the epicentre about 1,208km from Thailand. Authorities said neither quake caused damage or affected Thailand directly. However, people reported tremors in Songkhla, Trang, Krabi, Phuket and Satun. Picture courtesy of Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Join the discussion? 16 August 2026
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