An earthquake of magnitude-7.7 struck eastern Indonesia, leading to the evacuation of approximately 5,000 individuals, with at least 53 reported dead and over 130 injured, many sustaining broken bones. This event marked the country’s deadliest earthquake since 2022.
In the Sikka region, more than 3,300 people evacuated voluntarily or sought shelter in a sports arena due to collapsed homes and landslides. Displaced residents found refuge under makeshift tarps, with some receiving medical care in tent facilities outside hospitals.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, revealed that most residents chose to sleep outdoors on porches or under tents for safety. The region received support from over 3,500 military and police personnel dispatched to aid in the crisis.
Fear of aftershocks persisted among residents, with nearly 1,000 aftershocks recorded following the initial quake. A sports stadium in Maumere served as a temporary shelter, where residents queued for warm beverages and improvised cradles for infants while children engaged in outdoor activities.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, head of the local disaster mitigation agency, expressed how the earthquake stirred memories of past tremors, notably the 1992 disaster. Search and rescue efforts focused on clearing rubble in severely affected areas to locate potential survivors despite challenges posed by landslides and aftershocks.
While power supply was nearly restored, efforts to repair distribution lines were ongoing. The East Nusa Tenggara government declared a province-wide emergency to facilitate resource mobilization. Geologists warned of the region’s susceptibility to earthquakes due to geological faults, citing historical seismic events in the area.
Indonesia, situated along the volatile “Pacific Ring of Fire,” encounters frequent seismic and volcanic activities due to tectonic plate movements. The recent earthquake serves as a grim reminder of the country’s inherent geological risks.