Thousands of individuals in Flores, Indonesia, were still awaiting assistance on Monday following a devastating earthquake that resulted in a death toll of at least 68 people, with over 200 others injured and numerous homes and structures damaged. Residents of Flores island in East Nusa Tenggara province spent the day grieving for the victims and anticipating aid to reach communities that remain isolated due to the quake.
On Indonesia’s Independence Day in Jakarta, President Prabowo Subianto urged participants to pray for those affected by the disasters in East Nusa Tenggara and other regions while leading a moment of silence to honor the nation’s independence heroes. The earthquake, which struck with a depth of 10 kilometers in East Nusa Tenggara province early Saturday morning, caused damage to more than 1,300 homes, forcing around 5,000 people into temporary shelters and leaving 213 individuals injured, as reported by the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB).
Authorities have recorded 1,576 aftershocks as of Monday, with a small percentage being felt by residents. The governor of the province declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday. Many people in Flores found themselves sleeping outside collapsed homes under tarpaulin tents to avoid potential aftershocks, as witnessed by an Associated Press photojournalist who documented widespread devastation across the island.
Nearly 1,500 military and police personnel have been dispatched to the disaster zone, along with 10 aircraft delivering 275 tonnes of aid. Logistical challenges have slowed aid deliveries to some severely affected communities. Emergency field hospitals have been set up in Ruteng to treat earthquake victims, as local hospitals were damaged. Rescue teams are actively searching for victims in the affected areas, although no missing residents have been reported by their families.
Aid workers managed to reach Palue Island, close to the quake’s epicenter, after a challenging journey through landslide-affected terrain. Indonesia, with its location on the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” is susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its geological setting. The country has a history of catastrophic natural disasters, including the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Flores in 1992, claiming about 2,500 lives, and other significant events in subsequent years.
