Thousands of people on Indonesia's Flores island remained in desperate need of aid days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 68 people, injured more than 200 and damaged hundreds of homes and other buildings. Many residents spent Indonesia's 81st Independence Day on Monday mourning victims and awaiting the arrival of essential supplies in communities still cut off by the devastation.
President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged the disaster during the nation's Independence Day ceremony in Jakarta, asking participants to observe a moment of silence for those affected by the earthquake in East Nusa Tenggara province and other parts of the country.
More than 1,300 homes sustained damage in East Nusa Tenggara, with nearly 250 destroyed on Flores alone. Approximately 5,000 people were displaced and sought refuge in temporary shelters, according to the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). The province's governor declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday.
The earthquake, which struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles) shortly before 6 a.m. Saturday, prompted tsunami warnings that were later lifted. Authorities reported recording 1,576 aftershocks into Monday, though most were not widely felt.
Residents camped outside their damaged homes under tarpaulin tents overnight into Monday, fearing further aftershocks. An Associated Press photojournalist observed widespread destruction, including fallen trees blocking roads, landslides, and homes reduced to rubble or severely damaged. Buildings collapsed onto parked vehicles.
The disaster has revived painful memories for many residents, recalling the devastating 1992 earthquake and tsunami that killed about 2,500 people on Flores.
"My house is just rubble now. We need food, medicine and clean water urgently," said Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in the village of Reo, the hardest-hit area in Manggarai regency.
Nearly 1,500 military and police personnel, supported by 10 aircraft, have been deployed to distribute 275 tons of aid. However, logistical challenges have slowed deliveries to some isolated communities, said Abdul Muhari, the BNPB's deputy chief.
Emergency field hospitals have been established in the town of Ruteng to treat victims, as local hospitals also suffered damage. Two crisis management teams are overseeing a health emergency operation center, Muhari added. Rescue teams are continuing search efforts, though no family members have been reported missing.
Aid workers finally reached Palue Island, an area near the earthquake's epicenter, late Sunday after a difficult journey through landslide-affected terrain. Thousands of residents on the island remained in urgent need of assistance after days of isolation. The deputy police chief of Sikka regency described the journey as "near-death" due to steep, landslide-blocked roads.
Indonesia, an archipelago situated on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," is highly susceptible to earthquakes and volcanic activity. The region has a history of major seismic events, including a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and tsunami on Sulawesi in 2018 that killed over 4,400 people, and the catastrophic 2004 magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra that triggered a tsunami causing approximately 230,000 deaths across a dozen countries.