Around 5,000 individuals have been relocated following a magnitude-7.7 earthquake that struck an area in eastern Indonesia, resulting in a minimum of 53 fatalities, road blockages, and landslides, as confirmed by authorities on Sunday. Over 130 individuals have sustained injuries, with many suffering from fractures.
The earthquake that occurred on Saturday marked the most devastating seismic event in the Southeast Asian country since a quake in 2022 that claimed the lives of hundreds in West Java. The Sikka region witnessed over 3,300 people evacuating voluntarily or seeking refuge in a sports arena, as reported by the disaster mitigation agency BNPB.
Residents of Sikka found themselves stranded outdoors by collapsed residences, seeking shelter beneath makeshift tarps. Some individuals received medical attention in a tent outside a hospital in the port town of Maumere. Abdul Mutas, 63, shared his experience of fleeing with his family to higher ground as the tide rose during the tremor.
Simon Subandi, the deputy regent of Sikka, mentioned that almost all residents opted to sleep outdoors on porches or makeshift tents. The government deployed more than 3,500 military and police personnel to assist the affected region, according to Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
In Maumere, where the port was closed due to damage from the earthquake, residents expressed fear of aftershocks. The disaster agency reported nearly 1,000 aftershocks since the initial quake. Nearby, hundreds sought refuge in a sports stadium designated as an evacuation center.
Amidst the sunset, residents queued up for warm beverages while mothers ingeniously fashioned makeshift cradles for their babies using pieces of clothing attached to tent frames. Children engaged in soccer matches outside the stadium.
Margaretha Movaldes Da Maga Bapa, the head of the region’s disaster mitigation agency, acknowledged the haunting memories of the 1992 earthquake resurfacing due to the recent seismic activity. Search and rescue efforts focused on clearing rubble in Manggarai, East Manggarai, and Nagekeo to locate potential survivors.
While power restoration was nearing completion, efforts were ongoing to repair distribution lines, as stated by state utility firm Perusahaan Listrik Negara. The East Nusa Tenggara government declared a state of emergency for the province to facilitate resource mobilization.
Geology expert Dwikorita Karnawati highlighted the region’s susceptibility to earthquakes due to the presence of the “Flores back-arc thrust fault,” a significant system of thrust faults. The affected area experienced a magnitude-7.5 earthquake in 1992, causing widespread devastation, as reported by Indonesia’s geophysics agency.
Indonesia, a vast archipelago with a population of 290 million, is situated along the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a volatile seismic zone where tectonic plates converge, leading to frequent seismic activities and volcanic eruptions.
