Indonesia Earthquake Kills 68 as Thousands Await Aid Amid Aftershocks

The National Disaster Management Agency reported that nearly 1,600 aftershocks have hit Indonesia, with thousands forced out of their homes after a powerful earthquake killed at least 68 people.

Earthquake Impact and Casualties on Flores Island

The magnitude earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers shortly before 6 a.m. local time on Saturday, triggering brief tsunami warnings that were later lifted by authorities, according to Global News. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded the initial tremor, while the National Disaster Management Agency, known as BNPB, reported that 213 people sustained injuries. More than 1,300 homes suffered damage across East Nusa Tenggara province, with approximately 250 properties completely destroyed on Flores alone.

Around 5,000 residents have been displaced into temporary camps and tarpaulin tents. Evacuees have cited severe fears of structural collapses during ongoing aftershocks. The shaking was very scary. My house almost collapsed, said Anastasia Imad, a farmer who set up an emergency tent next to her damaged home, as reported by the BBC. We were worried that the aftershocks would collapse the house while we were sleeping. Global News noted that the disaster evoked painful memories of a 1992 earthquake and tsunami on Flores that resulted in about 2,500 deaths.

Relief Efforts and Logistical Challenges in Isolated Areas

Logistical bottlenecks and blocked mountain roads have hindered rescue operations, leaving survivors struggling with shortages of clean water, basic foodstuffs, and medical supplies. Herry Kabut, editor-in-chief of local publication Floresa Media, told the BBC that each resident has set up their own evacuation post amidst blackouts and landslides, adding that many have fled to the hills and are starving. In the hard-hit village of Reo within Manggarai regency, a survivor said their house was reduced to rubble and that they urgently needed food, medicine, and clean water.

To address the crisis, the BNPB deployed nearly 1,500 military and police personnel alongside 10 aircraft to distribute 275 tons of aid, according to deputy chief Abdul Muhari. Authorities also established two emergency field hospitals in the heavily impacted town of Ruteng because local medical facilities suffered severe structural damage, including a collapsed roof at Ruteng Regional General Hospital. In Sikka regency, deputy police chief Marselus Yugo Amboro described a near-death journey as response teams navigated steep, landslide-blocked terrain to reach isolated Palue Island, where authorities later confirmed nearly 150 homes were destroyed and one villager was killed.

The governor of East Nusa Tenggara province declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday to fast-track resource allocation. During national Independence Day ceremonies in Jakarta on Monday, President Prabowo Subianto asked participants to observe a moment of silence and pray for the disaster victims across the province. BNPB officials confirmed that search and rescue teams remain active across the affected regencies, although no local residents have reported family members currently missing.