Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, leading to a death toll of at least 53, obstructing transportation routes, and causing landslides, as confirmed by authorities on Sunday. Over 130 people sustained injuries, many with fractures.
This seismic event on Saturday marked the most fatal earthquake in the Southeast Asian country since a previous one in 2022 that claimed hundreds of lives in West Java. The Sikka region saw more than 3,300 individuals self-evacuate or seek refuge in a sports stadium, according to the disaster mitigation agency BNPB.
In Sikka, some residents found themselves stranded outdoors near collapsed residences, sheltering under makeshift tarpaulin tents, with some receiving medical care outside a hospital in Maumere. Abdul Mutas, 63, shared, “I only brought my body. The rising tides forced us to flee,” recounting the family’s response to the quake.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, disclosed that nearly all residents opted to sleep outside on porches or makeshift shelters. Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya reported the deployment of over 3,500 military and police personnel to the affected area.
Concerns about aftershocks loomed large among residents in Maumere, where a port now lay in ruins. The disaster agency noted nearly 1,000 aftershocks by Sunday post the earthquake. Hundreds sought refuge in a sports arena, converting it into an evacuation center.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the regional disaster mitigation agency, mentioned that the recent quake stirred memories of the 1992 disaster, evoking deep-seated trauma among residents. Search and rescue efforts focused on clearing debris in severely affected areas to locate any potential survivors.
While power restoration efforts were nearing completion, repair work on distribution lines was still ongoing, as per state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara. The government of East Nusa Tenggara declared a provincial emergency to facilitate resource mobilization and funding, announced BNPB.
Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the region’s susceptibility to earthquakes due to the “Flores back-arc thrust fault,” a significant network of thrust faults. The earthquake-stricken area had previously experienced a destructive magnitude-7.5 quake in 1992, as indicated by Indonesia’s geophysics agency. Indonesia, with its vast population residing in an archipelago, sits on the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a seismically active zone prone to frequent earthquakes and volcanic activities.
