Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a strong magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, resulting in the loss of at least 53 lives, obstructing roads, and triggering landslides, as announced by authorities on Sunday. Over 130 individuals have sustained injuries, many of them with fractures.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the deadliest in the Southeast Asian nation since a similar event in 2022 claimed the lives of hundreds in West Java. According to the disaster mitigation agency BNPB, more than 3,300 people in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or sought refuge in a sports arena.
In Sikka, some residents found themselves stranded outside collapsed residences, taking shelter under makeshift tarps. Meanwhile, individuals were receiving medical attention in a tent outside a hospital in the port town of Maumere. Abdul Mutas, a 63-year-old survivor, shared his experience of fleeing as the quake hit, stating, “I only brought my body.”
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, revealed that most residents chose not to stay indoors and instead opted to sleep on porches or in tents outside. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya confirmed that over 3,500 military and police personnel have been dispatched to the affected region.
Concerns about aftershocks loomed over the residents, with nearly 1,000 aftershocks reported by the disaster agency since the initial quake. In Maumere, a closed port strewn with debris served as a reminder of the disaster’s impact. Nearby, hundreds sought refuge in a sports stadium, where efforts were made to provide warmth and care for the displaced.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, expressed how the recent earthquake revived memories of past traumatic events. Search and rescue operations are ongoing in the most affected areas to locate any individuals possibly trapped under rubble.
While power supply has been largely restored, work is ongoing to repair distribution lines, according to state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara. An emergency has been declared for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government, enabling the mobilization of crucial resources and funding to support the affected communities.
Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the seismic risks faced by the region due to the “Flores back-arc thrust fault,” a significant system of thrust faults. The area was previously struck by a powerful earthquake in 1992, causing widespread destruction, as reported by Indonesia’s geophysics agency. Indonesia, with its large population and location within the seismically active “Pacific Ring of Fire,” frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic activities.