Thousands Awaiting Aid in Indonesia After Earthquake Kills 68

Thousands of people on Indonesia's Flores island remain in urgent need of aid days after a powerful earthquake devastated the region. The tremor, which struck East Nusa Tenggara province, has claimed at least 68 lives, injured over 200, and left hundreds of homes in ruins.

Many residents spent Indonesia's 81st Independence Day mourning victims and waiting for assistance to reach communities still isolated by the disaster. The province's governor declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday. The earthquake, occurring at a depth of 10 kilometers, triggered panic and tsunami warnings, which were later lifted. Authorities have recorded thousands of aftershocks, compounding the fear among residents who are camping outside their damaged homes.

The devastation is widespread, with fallen trees blocking roads and landslides scarring the landscape. Homes are shattered, and buildings have collapsed. For many, the disaster has evoked painful memories of the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami that killed approximately 2,500 people.

"My house is just rubble now," said Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in Reo, the hardest-hit area. "We need food, medicine and clean water urgently." Despite the deployment of nearly 1,500 military and police personnel and 10 aircraft to distribute aid, logistical challenges are hindering timely delivery to some affected areas. Two emergency field hospitals have been established in the town of Ruteng to treat victims, as local hospitals sustained damage.

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My house is just rubble now. We need food, medicine and clean water urgently.