Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake in eastern Indonesia, resulting in a death toll of at least 53, road blockages, and landslides, as confirmed by authorities on Sunday. Over 130 individuals sustained injuries, many of them with fractures.
The earthquake that struck on Saturday marked the deadliest incident in the nation since a 2022 earthquake in West Java claimed hundreds of lives. The Sikka region saw over 3,300 individuals self-evacuating or seeking shelter in a sports arena, as reported by the disaster mitigation agency BNPB.
In Sikka, some residents found themselves stranded outside collapsed residences, seeking refuge under makeshift tarp tents. Meanwhile, others received medical attention in tent facilities outside a hospital in Maumere, a port town.
Simon Subandi, deputy regent of Sikka, noted that almost all residents in Sikka opted to sleep outdoors on porches or makeshift tents, fearing aftershocks. A sizable deployment of over 3,500 military and police personnel was assigned to the region, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
The local population expressed concerns about potential aftershocks, with the disaster agency reporting close to 1,000 aftershocks post the initial quake. Residents sought safety in a designated sports stadium, forming makeshift cradles for infants and engaging in activities like soccer as they coped with the situation.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the regional disaster mitigation agency, highlighted the emotional impact of the earthquake, drawing parallels to a traumatic quake experience in 1992. Search and rescue operations focused on clearing rubble in severely affected areas to locate possible survivors, despite challenges posed by landslides and ongoing aftershocks.
While power restoration efforts were nearing completion, authorities continued addressing distribution line repairs. An emergency declaration for the province was issued by the East Nusa Tenggara government, enabling the mobilization of resources and funding to support relief operations.
Geological expert Dwikorita Karnawati pointed out the seismic vulnerability of the region due to the “Flores back-arc thrust fault,” a significant network of thrust faults extending west to east. The affected area had previously endured a devastating magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, causing widespread devastation.
Indonesia, home to a vast population of 290 million people across its archipelago, lies within the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a highly active seismic zone where tectonic plate interactions lead to recurrent earthquakes and volcanic activities.
