Ruteng, Indonesia: The death toll from a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia’s Flores region has risen to 51, after rescuers recovered four more bodies on Sunday, authorities said.
The earthquake struck at 5:58 a.m. local time at a depth of around 10 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents fled their homes after tsunami warnings were issued, although the warnings were later lifted. Indonesia’s meteorological agency reported at least 235 aftershocks following the main quake.
Rescue teams continued searching through debris and landslides across six regencies on Flores, focusing particularly on Manggarai, East Manggarai and Nagekeo, which remained difficult to access.
Authorities said 101 people were injured, while more than 900 homes were destroyed and another 450 were damaged. Around 5,000 people have been displaced and moved into temporary shelters.
“Most landslides have been cleared and roads to previously isolated villages have been reopened, although communication disruptions and power outages continue to hamper search efforts,” said Fathur Rahman, head of the Search and Rescue Office in Maumere.
Landslides have blocked parts of the Trans-Flores Highway, a roughly 700-kilometre route connecting communities across the mountainous island.
Relief teams are distributing rice, ready-to-eat meals, drinking water, blankets and medicines, while emergency shelters are being established for displaced residents. Authorities said restoring electricity and communications and reaching remote communities cut off by landslides remain major challenges.
In Labuan Bajo, a major gateway to Komodo National Park, thousands of residents and visitors spent the night outdoors due to fears of further aftershocks.
Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a region marked by extensive seismic and volcanic activity.
Flores has previously suffered major natural disasters, including a 1992 earthquake and tsunami that killed around 2,500 people. In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami in Sulawesi killed more than 4,400 people.
प्रतिक्रिया दिनुहोस्