At least 47 individuals lost their lives following a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake and numerous aftershocks that hit eastern Indonesia on Saturday, according to the latest report from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). Approximately 2,000 people sought refuge in safer locations.
Rescue teams have not yet been able to reach Nagekeo, the area closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, due to road blockages caused by landslides and disruptions in communication networks.
Although a tsunami warning was issued post the earthquake, it was later lifted after about three hours.
Describing the intense tremors, a 51-year-old resident named Nona from Talibura village in East Nusa Tenggara stated, “The quake was massive; the shock was so strong. There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves.”
Earlier assessments in the port town of Maumere revealed 20 fatalities, six injuries, and two individuals stuck under debris, as reported by Fathur Rahman, the head of the city’s rescue agency. Maumere is the primary town in Sikka Regency on Flores Island in eastern Indonesia.
Speaking on the situation, Suharyanto, the BNPB head, mentioned that residents are still trapped in various buildings in the affected areas, with landslides obstructing multiple routes.
Efforts to reach Nagekeo have been impeded by landslides, affecting communication signals in the region. Around 2,000 residents have been evacuated from Nagekeo, with damages reported to numerous residential and government structures.
Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, confirmed at a press briefing that at least five individuals died due to collapsing structures while they were asleep.
Preliminary data from BNPB highlighted severe damage to 157 homes, moderate damage to 41 residences, and light damage to 148 properties. Schools, health facilities, places of worship, and office buildings were also affected, alongside other infrastructure.
Videos shared on social media depicted parts of buildings crumbling into debris as panicked individuals fled the scene during the earthquake in Maumere.
Residents like Siti Sulfia Bira, 37, residing near the port in Maumere, spoke of their quick evacuation to higher ground once the tremors began, expressing concerns about returning home due to ongoing instability.
The earthquake’s impact was felt strongly across East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, and parts of South Sulawesi, with reports of shaking lasting about a minute in some areas.
Indonesia, situated along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” experiences high seismic activity due to the convergence of different tectonic plates, resulting in frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
