Kathmandu, August 16
At least 51 people have been killed and around 5,000 displaced after a powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:58 am local time on Saturday. Its epicentre was about 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende, a city on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province. The earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Officials said around 341 aftershocks were recorded following the earthquake. It is being described as one of Indonesia’s deadliest earthquakes in recent years. Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Oktavianus said in a televised statement on Sunday that 36 people were seriously injured, while 77 others sustained minor injuries.
According to Indonesia’s disaster management agency BNPB, more than 3,300 people have been displaced from their homes in Sikka Regency, one of the areas worst affected by the earthquake. They remain stranded after roads were blocked. Some displaced residents have been temporarily sheltered in sports stadiums.
In the port city of Maumere, some residents have erected tarpaulins outside their damaged homes and are staying there. Some injured people have been treated at temporary medical camps set up outside local hospitals. According to BNPB chief Lieutenant General Suharyanto, at least 157 houses were destroyed, and around 200 others were damaged. In Nagekeo Regency, the area closest to the earthquake’s epicentre, around 2,000 villagers have been moved to temporary shelters.
Officials said rescue and relief operations have been challenging because of the region’s geography, which consists of numerous small islands. Three helicopters and a rescue vessel have been deployed for emergency rescue operations. East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudy Darmoko said buildings had collapsed and extensive property damage had been reported in several parts of the province.
Rescue teams have yet to reach all affected areas of Nagekeo. Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency, said landslides had blocked roads and disrupted communication services, making rescue operations difficult. According to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya, more than 3,500 soldiers and police personnel have been deployed from across the country for rescue and relief operations.
A tsunami warning issued immediately after the earthquake was later lifted. However, authorities have advised residents in some areas of the northern islands to move to safer locations, warning that aftershocks could continue for several days. According to Al Jazeera, the same coastal region was struck by a powerful earthquake in December 1992. Indonesia’s geological agency said more than 2,500 people were killed in Flores in the disaster, including by the tsunami that followed the earthquake.
With a population of around 290 million, Indonesia is spread across nearly 17,000 islands. Located along the Pacific Ocean’s “Ring of Fire,” the country is among the world’s most seismically active nations.
Nepal expresses condolences
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shishir Khanal has expressed sorrow over the loss of life and property caused by the earthquake on Indonesia’s Flores Island.
Saying that Nepal, which has experienced devastating earthquakes itself, understands the pain and suffering caused by natural disasters, Khanal expressed solidarity and sympathy with the Indonesian government and people on behalf of the Government of Nepal and the Nepali people.
He also extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of those killed in the earthquake and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
He further expressed hopes for the safety, rescue and relief of all those affected, missing or displaced by the earthquake, as well as their swift rehabilitation.
