Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, leading to a death toll of at least 53, obstructing roadways, and triggering landslides, as per authorities’ reports on Sunday. Over 130 individuals sustained injuries, with many suffering from fractures.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the deadliest in Indonesia since a 2022 quake that claimed hundreds of lives in West Java. The Disaster Mitigation Agency BNPB indicated that more than 3,300 people in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or sought refuge in a sports arena. Some Sikka residents found themselves stranded outdoors near collapsed residences, sheltering under makeshift tarps. Meanwhile, individuals received medical attention in a tent outside a hospital in Maumere.
Abdul Mutas, a 63-year-old resident, shared his experience stating, “I only brought my body.” He described fleeing with his family as the tides rose in response to the earthquake. Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, mentioned that nearly all residents in Sikka opted to sleep outdoors on porches or under tents.
A significant deployment of over 3,500 military and police personnel has been dispatched to the affected region, as per Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. Concerns about aftershocks loomed over residents in Maumere, where a port now strewn with debris stood as a reminder of the quake’s impact. The disaster agency highlighted that close to 1,000 aftershocks had been recorded post the earthquake.
Residents sought shelter in a sports stadium designated as an evacuation center, with mothers improvising makeshift cradles for their babies and children engaging in soccer matches. Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, expressed how the recent quake revived memories of the 1992 seismic event for residents.
Search and rescue efforts focused on clearing rubble in the worst-hit areas to locate any individuals potentially trapped. While power restoration efforts were nearing completion, authorities continued working on repairing distribution lines. An emergency declaration for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government, as announced by BNPB, facilitates resource and funding mobilization.
Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the earthquake risk in the region due to the “Flores back-arc thrust fault.” The quake-stricken area previously experienced a devastating magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992. Indonesia, home to 290 million people, sits within the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a volatile seismic zone characterized by frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.