Thousands displaced in Indonesia deadly earthquake

A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck Indonesia's Flores Island early Saturday, leaving at least 53 people dead and displacing approximately 5,000 residents. The shallow quake, occurring just 15 kilometers below the surface, also triggered 341 aftershocks, exacerbating the damage.

Preliminary reports indicate that over 900 homes and hundreds of other buildings suffered severe damage. The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) confirmed fatalities across several provinces, with Manggarai and East Manggarai recording the highest numbers. In Sikka, 3,356 people were displaced, while Manggarai saw 2,078 evacuated.

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We heard that medical assistance would be provided, but nothing has arrived yet.

Rescuers are continuing their search for survivors in the remote and mountainous region, where the full extent of the destruction is still being assessed. Dozens of schools, healthcare facilities, and government offices, including Ruteng Regional Hospital, sustained significant damage. Medical staff are treating patients in tents as they await assistance.

Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus reported 36 serious injuries and 77 minor injuries in East Nusa Tenggara province. The BNPB has identified meeting basic needs and providing logistics for evacuees as top priorities, dispatching tonnes of emergency supplies to the affected areas. This earthquake marks the deadliest in the nation since 2022, when hundreds perished in West Java.

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meeting basic needs and providing logistics for evacuees has become one of the top priorities of the emergency response