Death Toll Rises to 51 After Devastating Earthquake in Indonesia
Severe Earthquake Hits Flores Island
People clear up the rubble from a house damaged in an earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia, Saturday. (Photo: PTI)
Ruteng (Indonesia), Aug 16: The death toll from the devastating 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Flores Island in Indonesia has increased to 51, following the recovery of four additional bodies by rescue teams on Sunday. Search operations are ongoing in areas affected by landslides.
Rescue teams are actively searching through debris for individuals who may be trapped under landslides caused by the earthquake, which impacted six regencies on Flores, a predominantly Catholic island in a largely Muslim nation.
Efforts are concentrated on three regencies that remain difficult to access post-quake: Manggarai, East Manggarai, and Nagekeo.
"We have managed to clear most of the landslides and have reopened roads to previously isolated villages, but ongoing communication issues and power outages are hindering our search efforts," stated Fathur Rahman, head of the Search and Rescue Office in Maumere, the capital of Sikka regency.
The earthquake has displaced thousands of residents.
According to the National Search and Rescue Agency, 101 individuals sustained injuries, with over 900 homes completely destroyed and an additional 450 damaged, leading to approximately 5,000 people seeking refuge in temporary shelters.
In Labuan Bajo, a popular tourist destination near Komodo National Park, many spent the night outdoors due to fears of strong aftershocks.
"The shaking was terrifying, so intense that my house nearly collapsed," shared Anastasia Imad, a farmer, from a makeshift tent beside her damaged home. "We were afraid that aftershocks would bring it down on us while we slept."
Landslides have obstructed parts of the Trans-Flores Highway, a crucial 700-kilometre (435-mile) route connecting communities across the mountainous island.
Relief workers are distributing essential supplies such as rice, ready-to-eat meals, drinking water, blankets, and medicine, while emergency shelters are being established for those displaced. Authorities are facing significant challenges in restoring electricity and communication, as well as delivering aid to remote villages cut off by landslides.
The US Geological Survey reported that the earthquake struck the eastern region of Flores at a depth of 10 kilometres (6 miles) at 5:58 am local time. Residents fled in panic as tsunami warnings were issued and subsequently lifted. Indonesia's meteorological agency recorded at least 235 aftershocks.
Indonesia, an archipelago consisting of over 17,000 islands, is susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its position on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," a horseshoe-shaped zone of seismic activity.
Flores has a history of severe disasters, including a catastrophic earthquake and tsunami in 1992 that resulted in approximately 2,500 fatalities. In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake triggered a tsunami on Sulawesi, claiming over 4,400 lives. Additionally, a magnitude 9.1 quake off Sumatra in 2004 unleashed a tsunami that killed around 230,000 people across a dozen countries.