KABUL (Pajhwok): At least 51 people have been killed and around 5,000 others forced to evacuate after a powerful earthquake struck eastern Indonesia, with rescue teams working to clear landslide-blocked roads and reach people trapped under rubble.
The magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck at 5:58am local time on Saturday, with its epicentre about 68 kilometres north-northwest of Ende on Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara province, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometres, Al Jazeera reported.
The earthquake was followed by around 341 aftershocks and is among Indonesia’s deadliest earthquakes in recent years.
Deputy Health Minister Benjamin Paulus Octavianus said on Sunday that 36 people had sustained serious injuries, while another 77 suffered minor injuries.
More than 3,300 people in Sikka regency, one of the worst-affected areas, have either fled their homes or been stranded and are taking shelter at a sports arena, according to Indonesia’s disaster mitigation agency, BNPB.
“The quake was massive, the shock was so strong,” Nona, a 51-year-old resident of Talibura village, told Reuters. She said 13 members of her family were inside their house when the earthquake struck and all of them ran outside to save themselves.
BNPB head Lieutenant General Suharyanto said at least 157 houses had been destroyed and nearly 200 others damaged. About 2,000 residents in Nagekeo regency, the area closest to the epicentre, have been moved to temporary shelters.
East Nusa Tenggara police chief Rudi Darmoko said the earthquake had caused extensive damage and building collapses across the province.
Rescue teams have yet to fully reach Nagekeo, where landslides have blocked roads and disrupted communications. Fathur Rahman, head of the local search and rescue agency in Maumere, said a team was attempting to reach the area by ferry.
More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed for the emergency response, Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.
State energy company Pertamina said more than 1,300 homes had been damaged and 20 petrol stations remained closed because of power outages.
Authorities continue search and rescue operations while assessing the full extent of the damage caused by the earthquake.
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