Thousands of individuals in Flores, Indonesia, were awaiting assistance on Monday following a severe earthquake that resulted in a death toll of at least 68 people and left over 200 others injured. The earthquake, which struck the East Nusa Tenggara province, caused extensive destruction to hundreds of residences and structures.
Residents on Flores island spent the day grieving for the victims and anticipating aid in communities that remained isolated due to the quake’s impact. The aftermath of the disaster included collapsed buildings, shattered homes, and blocked roads with debris such as trees and boulders.
Rasyid Jafar, a clothing merchant in the village of Reo, described his house as now reduced to rubble, emphasizing the urgent need for essential supplies like food, medicine, and clean water. President Prabowo Subianto led a moment of silence during Indonesia’s Independence Day ceremony, urging prayers for those affected by the disaster in East Nusa Tenggara and other regions in the country.
The earthquake, which had a depth of 10 kilometers, caused damage to more than 4,500 homes in the province, displacing around 19,000 individuals to temporary shelters. The National Disaster Management Agency reported 213 injuries and significant damage to health facilities, schools, and places of worship.
The governor of the province declared a 14-day state of emergency in response to the crisis. Aftershocks continued to be felt, with authorities recording 1,576 instances by Monday, with some residents experiencing about 50 of these tremors.
In the hardest-hit areas like Manggarai regency, thousands of individuals camped outside damaged homes, seeking shelter under makeshift tents due to the ongoing threat of aftershocks. Rescue efforts were underway, with nearly 1,500 military and police personnel deployed to the disaster zone to distribute aid and provide medical assistance.
Aid workers managed to reach remote communities like Palue Island, close to the earthquake’s epicenter, after facing challenging conditions caused by landslides. The treacherous journey highlighted the urgent need for assistance in isolated areas where residents had been cut off from supplies and support.
Indonesia, located in a seismically active region known as the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” has a history of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. The recent earthquake in Flores serves as a reminder of the country’s vulnerability to natural disasters.
Past tragedies in Indonesia, such as the devastating earthquake and tsunami in 2004 and the Sulawesi earthquake in 2018, underscore the ongoing risks faced by the country’s diverse island communities.