Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, resulting in a death toll of at least 53 and causing road blockages and landslides, as per officials on Sunday. Over 130 individuals sustained injuries, many of them with fractures.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the deadliest in the nation since 2022 when a quake in West Java claimed hundreds of lives. The Regional Disaster Mitigation Agency BNPB reported that more than 3,300 people in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or sought refuge in a sports arena.
Residents of Sikka found themselves stranded outside collapsed residences, seeking shelter under makeshift tarps. Abdul Mutas, 63, shared his experience of fleeing with his family to higher ground due to rising tides caused by the quake.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, mentioned that most residents chose to sleep outdoors rather than risk staying inside damaged buildings. An extensive deployment of over 3,500 military and police personnel was initiated in the affected region, as stated by Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
Concerns about aftershocks loomed as residents of Maumere expressed fear while navigating debris-laden areas. The disaster agency disclosed nearly 1,000 aftershocks following the initial quake. Nearby, hundreds sought refuge in a sports stadium turned evacuation center, where residents queued for warm beverages and improvised cradles for infants.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the local disaster mitigation agency, reflected on the traumatic impact of the earthquake, drawing parallels to a similar event in 1992. Search and rescue operations focused on clearing rubble in severely affected regions to locate potential survivors, amid challenges posed by landslides and ongoing aftershocks.
While power restoration efforts progressed, repairs to distribution lines remained ongoing, as reported by state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara. An emergency declaration was issued for the province by the East Nusa Tenggara government, enabling the mobilization of essential resources and funding.
Geological expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the seismic vulnerability of the region attributed to the Flores back-arc thrust fault system. The affected area had previously experienced a destructive magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, noted Indonesia’s geophysics agency. Indonesia’s geology, situated within the active “Pacific Ring of Fire,” is prone to seismic activities due to the convergence of tectonic plates, leading to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.