RUTENG: Thousands of frightened residents on Indonesia’s Flores island remained in temporary shelters on Sunday as rescue teams raced to deliver food, water and medical supplies following a powerful magnitude-7.7 earthquake that killed dozens and left widespread destruction across the region. The earthquake struck off the northern coast of Flores early Saturday, triggering landslides, damaging homes and public buildings and cutting electricity and communications in several areas. The latest reports put the death toll at more than 50, with at least 100 people injured, while thousands of residents have been displaced. The disaster was followed by hundreds of aftershocks, deepening fears among residents who were already reluctant to return to damaged homes. Authorities said around 5,000 people initially fled their houses, while the number sheltering in evacuation centres later rose to more than 9,000. For many survivors, the immediate concern is basic necessities. “We need food, drink, medicines, and diapers for the children,” resident Umri told AFP, describing how he and others spent the night on a hill because they were too afraid to return home. Another resident, Nurhidayati, said memories of the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake had made the latest disaster even more terrifying. She said she remained traumatised by the previous tragedy and did not dare go back home. Rescue Efforts Face Major Obstacles Emergency crews have been working through collapsed structures and rubble while heavy machinery clears roads blocked by landslides. Some of the hardest-hit communities remain difficult to reach because of damaged roads, power failures and disrupted telecommunications. Indonesia has deployed military and police personnel, helicopters, aircraft and rescue vessels to support the emergency response. Authorities are also sending large quantities of food and other relief supplies to affected communities. The destruction has extended beyond residential areas. Hundreds of houses have been badly damaged, while schools, health facilities and government buildings have also suffered. In Ruteng, damaged hospital facilities forced patients to be moved into tents outside the building. Despite the difficult conditions, medical workers have continued treating patients. In one particularly dramatic case, doctors performed an emergency Caesarean section in a storage room after parts of the hospital were damaged. Both the mother and baby were reported safe. Tsunami Warning Lifted The earthquake briefly triggered fears of a tsunami after residents reported the sea retreating from parts of the coastline. Authorities issued a tsunami warning, but it was later lifted after monitoring showed no major destructive wave threat. Waves of around 1.6 metres were nevertheless recorded in some coastal areas. Officials have urged residents to remain vigilant and avoid entering damaged buildings because continuing aftershocks could cause weakened structures to collapse. A Region Used to Earthquake Tragedies Flores lies within Indonesia’s highly active seismic zone, part of the Pacific “Ring of Fire”, where several tectonic plates meet and powerful earthquakes are common. The island has painful memories of the past. A major earthquake in 1992 triggered a tsunami that killed roughly 2,500 people. The latest disaster has once again exposed the vulnerability of communities living in earthquake-prone areas, particularly where roads, hospitals and communication networks are limited. International assistance is also being prepared. The European Union has offered its Copernicus satellite system to help authorities map affected areas and support search-and-rescue operations. For now, the priority remains simple: finding survivors, reaching isolated communities and keeping thousands of displaced families safe as Flores waits for the ground to finally settle.
