Thousands of individuals in Flores, Indonesia, were awaiting assistance on Monday following a devastating earthquake that claimed the lives of at least 68 people, left over 200 injured, and caused extensive damage to numerous homes and structures. Residents on Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province were in mourning and eagerly anticipating aid for communities that remained inaccessible due to the quake.
During Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto urged participants to pray for those affected by the disasters in East Nusa Tenggara and across the nation. The earthquake, which occurred just before 6 a.m. on Saturday with a depth of 10 kilometers, resulted in the destruction of more than 1,300 homes, displacing around 5,000 individuals to temporary shelters. The National Disaster Management Agency reported 213 injuries.
Following the quake, authorities recorded 1,576 aftershocks by Monday, with minimal impact on residents. The governor of the province declared a state of emergency for 14 days on Sunday to facilitate relief efforts.
Thousands of people on Flores sought refuge under tarpaulin tents outside collapsed dwellings, fearing additional aftershocks. Extensive devastation, including blocked roads from fallen trees and damaged homes, was observed across the island. Emergency services faced logistical challenges in delivering aid to severely affected areas.
Nearly 1,500 military and police personnel were dispatched to the disaster zone, supported by aircraft distributing 275 tons of aid. Emergency field hospitals were set up in Ruteng to treat victims after local medical facilities were damaged. Rescue operations continued in search of potential victims, although no missing individuals were reported by residents.
Aid workers successfully reached Palue Island, near the quake’s epicenter, after navigating challenging terrain obstructed by landslides. The journey was perilous but essential to provide urgent assistance to the isolated residents. Indonesia, due to its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is prone to seismic activities and volcanic eruptions.
Flores had previously experienced a deadly earthquake and tsunami in 1992, claiming thousands of lives. In recent history, Indonesia has faced catastrophic events like the 2004 Sumatra earthquake and subsequent tsunami, as well as the Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami in 2018.
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