Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, resulting in a minimum of 53 fatalities, road blockages, and landslides, as per authorities on Sunday. Over 130 individuals sustained injuries, many of them with fractures.
The earthquake on Saturday was the most lethal in the Southeast Asian nation since a quake in 2022 claimed the lives of hundreds in West Java. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB stated that more than 3,300 individuals in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or sought refuge in a sports arena.
In Sikka, some residents found themselves stranded outside collapsed residences, seeking shelter under makeshift tarps. Others received medical attention in tents outside a hospital in Maumere. Abdul Mutas, 63, shared his experience of fleeing with his family and sleeping outdoors amidst rising tides.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, mentioned that nearly all residents opted to sleep outside on porches or under tents. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya disclosed that over 3,500 military and police personnel have been dispatched to the affected area.
Residents in Maumere expressed fears of aftershocks at a port now closed due to damage from the quake. The disaster agency reported almost 1,000 aftershocks by Sunday. Hundreds sought refuge in a sports stadium as the sun set, queuing for warm beverages while mothers improvised cradles for their babies using tent frames.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, noted the haunting memories of past quakes and the current aid efforts. Search and rescue operations focused on clearing rubble in the worst-affected zones, with landslides and aftershocks hindering progress.
Although power restoration was nearing completion, distribution line repairs were ongoing, according to state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara. An emergency declaration for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government enables the mobilization of resources and funding, stated BNPB.
Geologist Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the earthquake risk in the region due to the Flores back-arc thrust fault system. The area previously experienced a devastating magnitude-7.5 quake in 1992. Indonesia, with its massive population, lies within the seismically active “Pacific Ring of Fire,” prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.