At least 51 people have died, 113 were injured and thousands have been forced into temporary shelters….reports Asian Lite News Desk
Indonesia’s East Nusa Tenggara province has declared a 14-day emergency response following a 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck Flores Island, leaving at least 51 people dead and 113 injured.
The emergency response period will run from August 15 to August 28, according to a decree issued by East Nusa Tenggara Governor Melki Laka Lena. The measure is intended to speed up rescue operations, evacuations, relief distribution and recovery efforts across areas affected by the earthquake.
The earthquake was centred about 30 km northeast of Mbay in Nagekeo Regency, at a depth of 15 km, according to the provincial government decree. The powerful tremor struck early Saturday and prompted a tsunami warning, which was later lifted by Indonesia’s Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.
Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, known as BNPB, reported that the main earthquake was followed by 341 aftershocks. The tremors caused widespread damage and forced thousands of residents to seek refuge in several parts of the region.
A total of 3,356 people were taking refuge in Sikka, while 2,078 were sheltering in Manggarai and another 500 in Nagekeo. Additional residents were displaced in Bima and Selayar.
The earthquake heavily damaged 914 houses, while 126 houses sustained moderate damage and 317 suffered light damage. At least 93 educational facilities, 36 health facilities and 38 government offices were also damaged.
The scale of the damage has created significant challenges for emergency teams working to reach affected communities. Roads in several areas have been cut off or blocked by landslides, further complicating rescue and relief operations.
Melki Laka Lena told a press conference in Kupang on Saturday that some roads were cut off or blocked by landslides, Xinhua News Agency reported.
The BNPB has begun dispatching food and other essential relief supplies to affected communities. Supplies have been sent from a logistics warehouse in East Flores Regency, while additional assistance is being transported from Jakarta through Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base.
Authorities are continuing to assess the extent of the damage and identify people requiring assistance. Rescue and emergency response teams are also working to reach communities affected by landslides and damaged infrastructure.
The earthquake also disrupted air travel in East Nusa Tenggara, with several flights cancelled following the tremor.
The provincial government’s emergency declaration is expected to provide a framework for coordinating rescue operations, evacuations, humanitarian assistance and early recovery measures during the two-week response period.
Authorities remain focused on assessing casualties, delivering essential supplies and restoring access to affected communities as emergency operations continue across the province.
