Thousands of individuals in Flores, Indonesia, were still awaiting assistance on Monday following a powerful earthquake that claimed the lives of at least 68 people, left over 200 injured, and caused extensive damage to numerous homes and structures. Residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day grieving for the victims and anticipating aid to reach communities that remain isolated due to the catastrophic quake.
The aftermath of the earthquake showcased widespread devastation, with collapsed buildings, shattered homes, and obstructed roads by trees and boulders. Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in the severely impacted village of Reo, expressed the urgent need for essential supplies like food, medicine, and clean water.
In response to the calamity, President Prabowo Subianto called for prayers for the affected individuals during Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta and led a moment of silence to honor the nation’s heroes. The quake struck East Nusa Tenggara province with a depth of 10 kilometers, resulting in damage to over 4,500 homes, displacement of 19,000 people into temporary shelters, and injuries to 213 individuals, as reported by the National Disaster Management Agency.
Authorities recorded numerous aftershocks, with about 50 of them felt by residents, prompting the governor to declare a 14-day state of emergency. Thousands of people in Flores sought refuge outside collapsed homes, sleeping under makeshift tents due to the ongoing threat of aftershocks.
Emergency response efforts included the deployment of nearly 1,500 military and police personnel, supported by 10 aircraft for aid distribution. Two emergency field hospitals were established in Ruteng to treat the injured, as local healthcare facilities were also affected by the disaster.
Aid workers managed to reach remote areas such as Palue Island, facing challenging conditions due to blocked roads caused by landslides. The region’s susceptibility to earthquakes and volcanic activities, attributed to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” has made Indonesia prone to such natural disasters.
Indonesia has a history of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis, with past incidents like the 1992 earthquake and tsunami in Flores that claimed thousands of lives, the 2004 Sumatra earthquake and tsunami, and the 2018 Sulawesi earthquake-triggered tsunami. The recent earthquake in Flores serves as a reminder of the country’s vulnerability to seismic events.