Thousands of people on Indonesia’s Flores Island are still waiting for emergency assistance after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake killed at least 68 people and injured more than 200 others, casting a shadow over the country’s Independence Day celebrations.
The earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara province early Saturday at a shallow depth of about 10 kilometres, causing widespread destruction across affected communities. More than 1,300 homes were damaged, including nearly 250 on Flores, while about 5,000 people were forced into temporary shelters.
Many survivors have been sleeping in makeshift shelters outside their damaged homes because of fears of further earthquakes. Authorities have recorded more than 1,500 aftershocks, although only a small number have been felt by residents.
Relief efforts have been complicated by landslides and blocked roads, leaving some communities difficult to reach. Nearly 1,500 military and police personnel, supported by 10 aircraft, have been deployed to distribute emergency supplies, including hundreds of tonnes of aid.
Emergency field hospitals have also been established in Ruteng after local healthcare facilities were damaged. Rescue teams continue to assess affected communities and search for victims as authorities work to determine the full scale of the disaster.
The disaster has overshadowed Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day celebrations. In Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto called for prayers for people affected by the earthquake and other disasters while leading a nationwide moment of silence.
The earthquake has also revived memories of previous devastating disasters in Flores, including the 1992 earthquake and tsunami that killed about 2,500 people.
Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic activity because it sits along the Pacific Ring of Fire, one of the world’s most active seismic zones.
As rescue and relief operations continue, thousands of survivors remain in urgent need of food, clean water, medical supplies and safe shelter.
Swifteradio.com