A powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia on Saturday, leaving at least 68 people dead and more than 200 injured. Officials from Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency confirmed the updated death toll on Monday, making this the country’s deadliest seismic event since a 2022 earthquake in West Java. Search and rescue teams continue working through collapsed buildings in East Nusa Tenggara province, searching for survivors trapped in the rubble.
The disaster has severely impacted thousands of residents in the region, with approximately 500 homes damaged in the initial quake. Many evacuees are now sheltering in temporary tent camps, reluctant to return to their homes due to fears of additional seismic activity. The situation has been further complicated by nearly 1,600 aftershocks recorded in the province, including a magnitude 5.6 tremor on Monday morning, along with landslides that have blocked critical roads in the districts of Sikka and Manggarai.
Emergency response efforts are underway as authorities work to deliver essential supplies to affected communities. Aircraft have been mobilized to transport food, tents, and other humanitarian aid throughout the devastated areas. The earthquake has also disrupted Indonesia’s Independence Day celebrations, casting a shadow over the nation’s observance this year.
Originally reported by Aljazeera →
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