REO (Indonesia), Aug 17: Thousands of survivors on Indonesia’s Flores island were still waiting for essential supplies on Monday as the country marked its 81st Independence Day, days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 54 people and devastated communities in East Nusa Tenggara province.
The disaster has overshadowed Independence Day celebrations for many residents, who spent the national holiday mourning those killed, searching for missing relatives and seeking assistance in areas that remain difficult to reach.
The earthquake damaged more than 1,300 houses across the province, including nearly 250 homes on Flores, according to Indonesia’s National Disaster Management Agency. Around 5,000 people have been displaced into temporary shelters, while 135 others suffered injuries.
The provincial government declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday as authorities continued rescue and relief operations in the affected areas.
The earthquake struck shortly before 6 am on Saturday at a depth of about 10 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey. The tremor triggered panic among residents, with tsunami warnings issued shortly after the quake before being lifted.
Authorities have recorded nearly 1,000 aftershocks since the main earthquake, although only a fraction were strong enough to be felt by residents.
On Flores, thousands of people continued to sleep outdoors beneath tarpaulins near damaged or collapsed houses because of fears that further tremors could bring down weakened structures.
The destruction has severely affected roads and residential areas. Fallen trees, landslides and large rocks have blocked routes in several locations, while numerous vehicles were damaged by collapsing buildings.
Residents in the worst-hit communities have appealed for food, medicine, drinking water and facilities to prepare meals.
“My house is just rubble now,” said Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in Reo, one of the badly affected areas in Manggarai regency, stressing the urgent need for basic supplies.
Another resident, Mariana Tewu, said survivors were struggling to cook because they had lost essential equipment and called for public kitchens to be established.
More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed to support rescue and relief operations. Authorities have also transported about 275 tonnes of aid into the disaster zone, although difficult terrain and damaged roads have slowed deliveries to some isolated communities.
The earthquake has also brought back memories of Flores’ devastating 1992 earthquake and tsunami, which killed around 2,500 people.
Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to seismic disasters because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, a region characterised by active geological faults and numerous volcanoes. The country consists of more than 17,000 islands and frequently experiences earthquakes and volcanic activity.
The scale of previous disasters highlights the risks faced by communities across the archipelago. In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Sulawesi and generated a tsunami that killed more than 4,400 people. A magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra in 2004 triggered a massive tsunami that killed around 230,000 people across a dozen countries, including nearly 170,000 in Indonesia’s Aceh province.
Authorities are continuing rescue, recovery and relief efforts on Flores as survivors remain in temporary shelters and await further assistance.