At least 51 people have reportedly died after a powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, while around 5,000 residents have been evacuated from the affected areas according to Indonesian authorities cited by Reuters.
The earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara province and triggered landslides that blocked roads, complicating rescue and relief operations. The report added that thirty-six people were seriously injured in the Saturday morning quake in East Nusa Tenggara province, while 77 had minor injuries, Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus told a televised meeting.
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The earthquake was followed by around 341 aftershocks, according to a report by Reuters, which described the disaster as Indonesia's deadliest earthquake since the 2022 West Java quake.
More than 3,300 people in the Sikka region self-evacuated or were in a sports arena, said the disaster mitigation agency BNPB. Some Sikka residents were stranded outside collapsed homes under a makeshift tent made out of tarp, while some people received treatment in a tent outside a hospital in the port town of Maumere.
"I only brought my body," Abdul Mutas, 63, told Reuters after he and his family slept on a tarp surrounded by trees in the town of Sikka. "The tides were rising, so we ran," he said, describing their reaction to the quake.
Authorities had not immediately released a figure for people missing, although Reuters reported that officials said that many people were believed to be trapped beneath the rubble. The BNPB reported that more than 1,300 homes were damaged in the earthquake.
The disaster also disrupted fuel distribution after power outages left 20 petrol stations out of operation according to state energy company Pertamina.
Indonesia has deployed more than 3,500 military and police personnel to the affected region as part of rescue and emergency response efforts, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said in a statement cited by Reuters.
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The government of East Nusa Tenggara is considering declaring an emergency for the province. Such a declaration would allow authorities to mobilise additional resources and funding for disaster response, the report added.
Rescue and relief operations remain underway as authorities work to clear blocked roads, reach isolated communities and provide assistance to displaced residents.
The casualty and damage figures remain subject to change as rescue teams gain access to areas affected by landslides and collapsed structures.
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