Indonesia Earthquake Kills 53, Thousands Evacuated as Aftershocks Hamper Rescue Efforts

Around 5,000 people have been evacuated after a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 53 people, blocking roads and triggering landslides, authorities said on Sunday.

More than 130 people were injured, many of them suffering broken bones.

Saturday’s earthquake was Indonesia’s deadliest since the 2022 earthquake in West Java, which killed hundreds of people.

Indonesia’s National Disaster Mitigation Agency, known as BNPB, said more than 3,300 people in the eastern Sikka region had either evacuated on their own or taken shelter at a sports arena.

Some residents were stranded outside their collapsed homes under makeshift tarpaulin tents, while others were being treated in temporary medical tents outside hospitals.

Indonesia, an archipelago of around 290 million people, lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a highly active seismic zone where tectonic plates meet, causing frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Fear of Aftershocks

At the now-closed port in Maumere, debris from collapsed roofs and walls was scattered across the area. Residents told Reuters they were frightened by the continuing threat of aftershocks.

The disaster agency said nearly 1,000 aftershocks had been recorded since the earthquake.

Hundreds of residents gathered at a nearby sports stadium designated as an evacuation centre.

As evening approached, residents stood in line for warm drinks. Some mothers used pieces of clothing attached to tent frames to make makeshift cradles for their babies, while children played football outside.

Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the regional disaster mitigation agency, said the earthquake had brought back painful memories of the 1992 earthquake.

“We've had earthquakes often. But this one really brings back the trauma of the one from 1992,” she said, as trucks carrying aid supplies, including food and tents, arrived at her office.

Rescue agency official Suryaman said the priority was to clear rubble in the worst-hit areas of Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo to determine whether anyone was still trapped underneath.

Suryaman said no missing-person reports had been received so far, but landslides and continuing aftershocks were making search and rescue operations difficult.

More Than 3,500 Military and Police Deployed

More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed to the affected region to assist with rescue and relief operations, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.

State electricity company Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) said power supplies had been almost fully restored, although crews were still repairing distribution lines in some areas.

The government of East Nusa Tenggara province has declared a state of emergency, BNPB said. The declaration allows authorities to mobilise resources and funding more quickly for relief and recovery operations.

Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati said the region is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes because of the Flores Back-Arc Thrust Fault, a major system of west-east thrust faults.

Indonesia’s geophysics agency said the same region was hit by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, which caused extensive destruction.

Source: Reuters