Thousands of people displaced by a powerful earthquake in eastern Indonesia remained in temporary shelters on Monday as authorities worked to deliver emergency assistance.
The 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck off the northern coast of Flores island early Saturday, killing 54 people and injuring more than 100. Authorities said there had been no reports of missing persons.
Berton Suar Pelita Panjaitan, spokesman for Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency, said about 12,800 people were unable to return home by Monday morning. Many were staying at schools, police stations and government offices across several communities.
Residents were preparing to spend a third night outdoors after more than 1,600 aftershocks were recorded, according to Indonesia’s geological agency, BMKG. Many feared returning to homes damaged by the main earthquake and subsequent tremors.
In Mbay, one of the towns closest to the epicentre, residents built makeshift shelters with tarpaulins and poles. Some said their homes had suffered major cracks or collapsed, leaving them without access to basic necessities.
“We fled with nothing. Just the clothes on our backs. We’re victims; we’re going through a disaster,” resident Siti Saudah Daso, a mother of three, said.
The Indonesian Air Force said it was transporting 13 tonnes of emergency supplies, including food, clothing, clean water and medical equipment, using two Hercules aircraft and a Boeing. Helicopters were also being deployed to reach isolated communities, while military personnel were assisting with distribution.
Rescue teams continued land and air searches despite the absence of missing-person reports. Authorities said at least 914 houses were severely damaged, while hundreds of others sustained lesser damage. Several schools, health facilities and government buildings were also affected.
Save the Children said more than 8,000 children faced safety risks and disruptions to their education. Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area of intense seismic activity. The country was also among the worst affected by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami, which killed about 220,000 people across the region.
