Ruteng: Thousands of evacuees on Indonesia's Flores island began receiving aid on Sunday following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that resulted in the deaths of at least 53 people, injured dozens, and damaged hundreds of houses and buildings. Approximately 5,000 people were forced to flee their homes, with many areas left without electricity and telecommunications.
According to France24.com, assistance commenced on Sunday for the thousands displaced by the powerful earthquake that struck the island early Saturday. The tremor was followed by at least 341 aftershocks, according to Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, a spokesperson for the BNPB national disaster agency. At least one emergency access road was reported inaccessible, complicating relief efforts.
Residents like Umri from Nangahale village have been expressing urgent needs for basic necessities such as food, water, medicines, and diapers. Many locals, including 55-year-old Nurhidayati, have been staying on hilltops due to the fear of returning home, still traumatized by a similar quake in 1992 that triggered a tsunami and claimed about 2,500 lives.
BNPB head Suharyanto confirmed the deployment of at least five helicopters, several planes, and a naval vessel to assist with relief efforts. The death toll rose from Saturday night to Sunday morning, with at least 101 people injured. Survivors are in dire need of emergency shelters, clean water, and electricity generators, Berton added.
The shallow quake's epicenter was located just off Flores' north coast, affecting areas with minimal high-rise buildings. Berton reported severe damage to 914 houses and lesser damage to hundreds more. Public infrastructure, including educational, health facilities, and government offices, has also been impacted.
Preparations are underway by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies to support the displaced population in temporary shelters. The Indonesian government has dispatched 50,000 aid packages, while European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen offered support from the bloc's Copernicus Earth observation satellites.
In Ruteng, heavy machinery was seen clearing debris on Sunday. The local hospital, severely damaged, had to relocate its patients to outdoor tents where emergency procedures continued, including a successful C-section in a temporary operating theatre.
Mayor Herybertus Geradus Laju Nabit emphasized the unpredictability of aftershocks and urged residents to remain vigilant. Meanwhile, waves reaching up to 1.6 meters were reported in some coastal regions, heightening fears of potential tsunamis.
Indonesia's location in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" results in frequent seismic activities. In 2004, a magnitude 9.1 tremor off Sumatra's coast triggered a catastrophic tsunami, leading to one of the deadliest natural disasters recorded, with significant casualties across the region.