Lone doctor pleads for help in quake-hit Indonesia as 40,000 displaced

In the wake of a devastating magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck eastern Indonesia, a young doctor's plea for assistance in East Manggarai went viral on social media. Dr. Melinda Bella described her struggle to cope with the overwhelming number of patients alone in the hours following the disaster.

For 36 hours after the powerful quake hit north of Flores on Saturday, Dr. Bella was the sole medical professional in the village of Dampek, one of the areas most severely impacted. The earthquake caused widespread damage across Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, resulting in at least 70 fatalities and nearly 1,200 injuries, according to local authorities.

Dr. Bella worked tirelessly in a makeshift hospital set up after the main health facility in Dampek was damaged. With patients lined up on stretchers under a tarpaulin roof, she and the nurses treated injuries while new arrivals continued to flood in. She recounted treating scores of injured people with little sleep or sustenance, admitting she nearly collapsed multiple times.

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I am physically unable to handle this many patients alone. Please help.

The earthquake has displaced more than 40,000 people, with nearly 12,000 homes damaged, according to Indonesia's Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). Many villages remain difficult to access due to damaged roads and landslides. Homes in Dampek lie in ruins, forcing families to sleep in temporary shelters exposed to the elements, fearful of aftershocks.

Dr. Bella's story highlights the critical challenges faced in the painstaking recovery efforts across Indonesia. The lack of immediate support in remote areas underscores the urgent need for resources and personnel to aid disaster-stricken communities in their most vulnerable moments.

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So many patients came in at once, I had to handle it alone. I nearly collapsed three times while working … I had to hang on as much as I could.