At least 47 individuals lost their lives following a magnitude 7.7 earthquake and multiple aftershocks that hit eastern Indonesia, as per the latest update from the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB). Around 2,000 people sought refuge in safer locations.
Rescue teams have not yet accessed Nagekeo, the area closest to the earthquake’s epicenter, due to road blockages and communication disruptions caused by landslides.
After the quake, a tsunami warning was canceled approximately three hours later.
Describing the intensity of the quake, Nona, a 51-year-old from Talibura village in East Nusa Tenggara, mentioned, “The quake was massive; the shock was so strong. There were 13 of us inside the house and we all ran to save ourselves.”
In Maumere, a port town, earlier rescue operations discovered 20 fatalities, six injuries, and two individuals trapped under debris. Suharyanto, the BNPB head, highlighted that residents remained trapped in various buildings, with landslides obstructing roads in several areas.
Efforts to reach Nagekeo, the region nearest to the quake’s epicenter, have been hindered by communication issues. Around 2,000 residents in Nagekeo were evacuated, and numerous properties and government structures suffered damage.
Emanuel Melkiades Laka Lena, the governor of East Nusa Tenggara Province, disclosed that at least five individuals perished due to collapsing structures while they were asleep.
Preliminary data from BNPB indicated severe damage to 157 homes, moderate damage to 41 homes, and light damage to 148 homes. Additionally, schools, health facilities, places of worship, and office buildings were among the affected structures.
Videos on social media showed parts of buildings collapsing into rubble as people fled in panic. Residents in various regions reported feeling strong tremors lasting around a minute.
Indonesia is located on the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” a region known for high seismic activity due to the convergence of tectonic plates, leading to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.