Indonesia earthquake: Thousands evacuated, at least 51 killed, roads blocked
Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- A magnitude-7.7 earthquake in eastern Indonesia has killed at least 51 people and injured over 100.
- Thousands have been evacuated, and over 1,300 homes are damaged, with many people trapped under rubble.
- The quake, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, is the nation's worst in years, prompting consideration of an emergency declaration for the affected province.
A powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, killing at least 51 people and injuring over 100 others, authorities reported Sunday. The tremor, which hit East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday morning, also caused widespread damage, blocking roads and triggering landslides.
Thirty-six people were seriously injured in the Saturday morning quake in East Nusa Tenggara province, while 77 had minor injuries.
Thousands of residents have been evacuated, with over 3,300 in the Sikka region alone seeking shelter in sports arenas or makeshift tents. More than 1,300 homes were damaged, and rescuers are working to free people trapped under rubble. The disaster mitigation agency BNPB stated that most missing individuals are believed to be buried beneath collapsed structures.
The earthquake, followed by approximately 341 aftershocks, is considered the Southeast Asian nation's most severe in years. Emergency services are struggling with access in some areas due to landslides, and power outages have affected essential services like petrol stations.
Almost all of Sikka's residents didn't dare stay indoors, so they slept on a porch or a tent outside.
Authorities are considering declaring a provincial emergency to mobilize additional resources and funding. Indonesia, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, experiences frequent seismic activity, with this region having been hit by a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992.
Most of those missing were trapped under rubble, and more than 1,300 homes were damaged.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Jerusalem Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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