A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Indonesia’s Flores region early Saturday, resulting in at least 38 fatalities, the collapse of numerous buildings and homes, and widespread panic in an area frequently affected by seismic activity. Authorities reported over a dozen injuries.
Information was available with The Chenab Times that the national disaster management agency confirmed rescuers had recovered at least 38 bodies, predominantly in the severely impacted regencies of Sikka, Manggarai, and East Manggarai. The recovery efforts included the retrieval of 16 bodies from a landslide in the village of Reok in Manggarai. Emergency services transported 13 individuals to nearby hospitals, with two sustaining critical injuries.
The earthquake, with a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles), occurred at 5:58 a.m. local time, according to the US Geological Survey. Its epicenter was located 68 kilometers (42 miles) north-northwest of Ende city in East Nusa Tenggara province. The initial tremor was followed by several aftershocks.
In response to the disaster, three helicopters and a rescue vessel were deployed to aid logistical support and emergency operations, including potential evacuations. The unique geography of East Nusa Tenggara, comprising numerous islands, presents significant transportation and access challenges, making robust logistical support crucial. Approximately 2,000 villagers in the Nagekeo regency sought refuge in temporary shelters.
Power outages across affected cities and villages have hindered communication, complicating search and rescue efforts. Landslides in Ende regency, triggered by the earthquake, have also disrupted traffic on the Trans-Flores highway, a major road connecting Labuan Bajo to Larantuka across Flores Island.
Footage from local television stations showed hospital patients being evacuated as a precautionary measure, with medical staff setting up temporary treatment areas outdoors. Patients were moved to safety along with essential medical equipment, including beds, IV stands, and oxygen cylinders.
The tremor was felt across a significant portion of Flores Island, with initial reports indicating extensive damage. Residents described buildings sustaining damage and people fleeing to higher ground in panic. The waiting room at the port terminal in Maumere was reported to have collapsed.
At the St Peter Major Seminary in Sikka, students attending morning Mass experienced panic when the roof of an assembly hall collapsed. The rector of the seminary, the Rev. Guidelbertus Tanga, stated that students and nuns fled beneath the collapsing roof, with at least one priest sustaining a broken leg after jumping from the second floor.
Panic was also reported in Labuan Bajo, a key tourist gateway to Komodo National Park. Damage assessments are ongoing in Bima, a city in the neighboring West Nusa Tenggara province, and in parts of southern Sulawesi island.
Authorities initially issued a tsunami warning for coastal areas in East Nusa Tenggara, West Nusa Tenggara, South Sulawesi, and Southeast Sulawesi provinces, advising residents to stay away from beaches and riverbanks. The warning was later lifted as monitoring indicated no significant sea-level changes posing a threat.
Indonesia, situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, is highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic activity due to its location on a belt of volcanoes and fault lines. The region has a history of devastating seismic events, including a 1992 earthquake and tsunami on Flores that killed approximately 2,500 people, and a 2018 earthquake in Palu that resulted in over 4,400 fatalities.
The Chenab Times News Desk