Aid reaches thousands of evacuees after deadly earthquake on Indonesia's Flores island
Assistance began arriving Sunday for thousands displaced by a 7.7-magnitude earthquake on Indonesia's Flores island that killed 48 people. Hundreds of aftershocks have followed, and residents remain afraid to return to their homes.
Relief efforts reached thousands of evacuees on Indonesia's Flores island on Sunday, a day after a powerful earthquake struck the region, killing 48 people and injuring dozens. The magnitude-7.7 quake hit early Saturday and was followed by at least 341 aftershocks, according to Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, spokesman for national disaster agency BNPB.
Around 5,000 people fled their homes, with some areas left without power or telecommunications and at least one emergency road still blocked. Residents who took shelter on hillsides described lingering fear, with some recalling the 1992 Flores earthquake that triggered a tsunami and killed roughly 2,500 people.
BNPB head Suharyanto said at least five helicopters, several planes, a naval vessel and search-and-rescue ships were being dispatched to the area. A local search-and-rescue official said no one was reported missing or trapped under rubble.
Damage and needs
At least 914 houses were severely damaged, with hundreds more affected to a lesser extent. Ninety-three educational facilities, 36 health facilities and 38 government offices were also damaged. Survivors urgently need tents, food, medicine, blankets, clean water and power generators.
The government has sent 50,000 aid packages, totalling 275 tonnes, to the affected area. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered support from the EU's Copernicus Earth observation satellites to assist search and rescue operations.
In the town of Ruteng, about 200 kilometres from the worst-hit area, heavy machinery was seen clearing debris from the streets on Sunday. The local hospital sustained serious damage, forcing patients to be evacuated to tents outside, where an emergency Caesarean section was successfully performed in a converted storage room.
After Saturday's quake, the sea receded in a possible sign of an approaching tsunami, prompting residents to flee to higher ground. A tsunami warning was later lifted, though waves of up to 1.6 metres were recorded along parts of the coast. The mayor of Manggarai regency urged residents to remain vigilant, noting it was impossible to predict when the aftershocks would end.
