Indonesia Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 51 as Thousands Evacuate

At least 51 people have died after a powerful magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, triggering landslides, damaging more than 1,300 homes and forcing around 5,000 people to leave their homes, authorities said on Sunday.

The earthquake struck East Nusa Tenggara province on Saturday morning and was followed by about 341 aftershocks, making it one of the country’s most serious earthquakes in recent years.

Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said 36 people were seriously injured, while another 77 suffered minor injuries. Rescue teams continued searching damaged areas as authorities worked to assess the full scale of the disaster.

More than 3,300 people in Sikka region either evacuated voluntarily or became stranded at a local sports arena, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB.

In the port city of Maumere, some residents were left outside their damaged homes, sleeping beneath makeshift tarpaulin shelters. Patients were also treated in tents outside a hospital as concerns over further shaking kept people away from buildings.

“Almost all of Sikka’s residents didn’t dare stay indoors, so they slept on a porch or a tent outside,” Simon Subandi, deputy regent of Sikka, told KompasTV.

The earthquake also caused landslides that blocked roads and initially prevented rescuers from reaching some communities. Indonesia’s search and rescue agency later said teams had managed to access parts of Maumere that had been cut off.

Officials said most of the people still reported missing were believed to be trapped beneath collapsed structures.

More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been sent to the affected region to assist with rescue operations, security and the distribution of aid, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.

Power outages added to the difficulties faced by residents. State energy company Pertamina said 20 petrol stations were unable to operate because of the loss of electricity, affecting access to fuel in affected communities.

The East Nusa Tenggara government is considering declaring a provincial emergency. Such a move would allow authorities to mobilise additional resources and funding for relief and recovery operations.

The disaster has revived memories of a major earthquake that struck the same area in 1992. That magnitude 7.5 quake caused widespread destruction across the region.

Indonesia is particularly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area where several tectonic plates meet.

The latest disaster has left thousands of residents displaced while rescue workers continue efforts to reach isolated communities and determine the extent of the damage.