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 officials on Sunday. Over 130 people sustained injuries, with many suffering from broken bones.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the deadliest in Indonesia since a similar event in 2022 claimed hundreds of lives in West Java. The Sikka region saw over 3,300 individuals either self-evacuating or seeking refuge in a sports arena, as reported by the disaster mitigation agency BNPB.
Residents of Sikka found themselves stranded outside collapsed residences, seeking shelter under makeshift tarps. In the town of Sikka, Abdul Mutas, 63, and his family slept outdoors on a tarp amidst rising tides, prompted by the earthquake.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, revealed that nearly all residents of Sikka opted to sleep outdoors rather than risk staying indoors. The government deployed over 3,500 military and police personnel to the affected area to assist in rescue and relief efforts.
Concerns about aftershocks loom large in Maumere, where a closed port now lies in ruins. The disaster agency reported nearly 1,000 aftershocks following the initial quake. Residents sought refuge in a sports stadium designated as an evacuation center, standing in line for warm beverages as mothers fashioned makeshift cradles for their infants.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, expressed that the recent quake reignited memories of the traumatic 1992 earthquake for residents. Search and rescue teams are prioritizing the clearance of rubble in severely affected areas to locate any trapped individuals.
While power restoration efforts are underway, authorities are still addressing distribution line repairs. An emergency declaration has been made for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government, enabling the mobilization of resources and funding for relief operations.
Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the seismic vulnerability of the region due to the Flores back-arc thrust fault system. The affected area had previously experienced a devastating magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992. Indonesia, with its vast population and location within the seismically active “Pacific Ring of Fire,” is prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.