Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck an area in eastern Indonesia, resulting in at least 53 fatalities, road blockages, and landslides, as confirmed by officials on Sunday. Reports indicate that over 130 individuals sustained injuries, many of whom suffered broken bones.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the most lethal incident in Indonesia since a quake in 2022 claimed the lives of hundreds in West Java. The National Disaster Mitigation Agency BNPB revealed that more than 3,300 people in the Sikka region either self-evacuated or sought shelter in a sports arena.
In the aftermath, some Sikka residents found themselves stranded outside collapsed homes, seeking refuge under makeshift tarps. Additionally, individuals received medical attention in temporary tents outside a hospital in Maumere.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, reported that nearly all residents refrained from staying indoors, opting to sleep on porches or makeshift tents. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya disclosed that over 3,500 military and police personnel have been dispatched to the affected area.
Concerns about aftershocks loomed over the now-closed port in Maumere, where residents expressed fear of further tremors. The disaster agency noted that nearly 1,000 aftershocks were recorded post-quake. Residents took shelter in a designated sports stadium, where they queued for warm beverages as the sun descended. Mothers ingeniously created makeshift cradles from clothing attached to tent frames for their infants, while children engaged in soccer games outdoors.
The head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, remarked that the recent earthquake revived memories of the 1992 quake for residents. Rescue efforts focused on clearing debris in the severely impacted areas of Manggarai, East Manggarai, and Nagekeo to locate any individuals potentially trapped beneath rubble.
Despite nearly full power restoration, authorities continued efforts to repair distribution lines. The East Nusa Tenggara government declared a province-wide emergency, enabling the mobilization of resources and funding. Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the earthquake risk in the region due to the Flores back-arc thrust fault, a significant system of thrust faults running west to east.
Notably, the same area was struck by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, causing extensive damage, as reported by Indonesia’s geophysics agency. Indonesia, home to a population of 290 million, sits within the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a volatile zone where tectonic plates converge, leading to frequent seismic activities and volcanic eruptions.
