Nearly 1,000 aftershocks hamper rescue operations on Flores island as authorities deploy more than 3,500 military and police personnel
By SCN NEWS DESK
MAUMERE, Indonesia — Around 5,000 people have been displaced after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people, injuring more than 130 and leaving rescue teams searching damaged communities for possible survivors, authorities said on Sunday.
The death toll rose after rescuers recovered six more bodies from areas hit by Saturday's earthquake on Flores island, while landslides, damaged roads and continuing aftershocks complicated efforts to reach some of the hardest-hit communities.
More than 3,300 people in Sikka, one of the worst-affected regions, either evacuated themselves or moved into a sports arena being used as an emergency shelter, according to Indonesia's National Disaster Mitigation Agency, known as BNPB.
Others were sleeping under makeshift tarpaulin tents near damaged or collapsed homes, afraid that continuing tremors could bring weakened buildings down.
Reuters reported that residents at an evacuation centre were struggling with shortages of clean water and blankets as authorities expanded relief operations.
Indonesia's disaster agency said nearly 1,000 aftershocks had been recorded since the main earthquake, adding to fears among survivors and slowing search operations.
Rescue teams were concentrating on Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo, where authorities were working to clear rubble and determine whether anyone remained trapped.
Officials said no missing-person reports had been received, but landslides and repeated aftershocks were making searches more difficult.
More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed to the disaster zone, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
The government of East Nusa Tenggara has declared an emergency, allowing authorities to mobilise additional resources and funding for rescue and relief operations.
Power supplies were nearly fully restored by Sunday, although repair crews were still working on damaged distribution lines.
Associated Press reported that more than 900 homes were destroyed and another 450 damaged across East Nusa Tenggara province.
Landslides blocked sections of the Trans-Flores Highway, the main road running across the mountainous island, although rescuers said most landslides had been cleared and roads reopened to some previously isolated villages.
Communication disruptions and power outages continued to hamper operations in some areas.
At least 135 people were injured, according to the latest AP report, while emergency workers distributed rice, ready-to-eat meals, drinking water, blankets and medicines to affected communities.
Saturday's earthquake struck shortly before 6 a.m. local time.
The U.S. Geological Survey measured it at magnitude 7.7 and a depth of about 10 km, with the epicentre north-northwest of Ende in East Nusa Tenggara.
The quake initially triggered tsunami warnings, sending residents in coastal communities rushing toward higher ground. The warnings were later lifted.
The disaster has revived memories of the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami, which killed around 2,500 people.
Residents interviewed by Reuters said the strength of Saturday's shaking and the continuing aftershocks had brought back memories of that disaster.
Indonesia sits along the seismically active Pacific Ring of Fire and experiences frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Saturday's earthquake was the country's deadliest since a 2022 earthquake in West Java killed hundreds of people, Reuters reported.
For emergency teams on Flores, the immediate priorities remain reaching damaged communities, providing shelter and clean water to thousands of displaced residents and searching unstable areas before further aftershocks complicate the operation.