Rescue teams in eastern Indonesia recovered six more bodies on Sunday, pushing the death toll from a magnitude-7.7 earthquake on Flores island to at least 53, as nearly 1,000 aftershocks continued to rattle the region and hamper search operations.The powerful quake struck the Flores region at a depth of 10 kilometers shortly before 6 a.m. local time on Saturday, August 15, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents fled in panic as tsunami warnings were issued and later lifted. The disaster left 135 people injured, more than 900 homes destroyed, and 450 additional homes damaged across East Nusa Tenggara province, forcing approximately 5,000 people into temporary shelters.
Search Efforts Continue Despite Aftershock Swarm
The National Search and Rescue Agency said teams have cleared most landslides and reopened roads to previously isolated villages, though communication disruptions and power outages continue to hamper operations. “We have cleared most landslides and reopened roads to previously isolated villages, although communication disruptions and power outages continue to hamper search efforts,” said Fathur Rahman, head of the search-and-rescue office in Maumere.The most affected areas include the regencies of Manggarai, East Manggarai, and Nagekeo, where rescuers are still searching for people possibly trapped under rubble. Of the nearly 1,000 aftershocks recorded since the main quake, only 46 were strong enough to be felt by residents, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
State of Emergency Declared
The Indonesian government declared a state of emergency to facilitate rapid resource mobilization, deploying more than 3,500 military and police personnel for rescue and recovery efforts. Thousands of displaced residents spent multiple nights outdoors, afraid to return to damaged structures as aftershocks continued to strike.
Flores Island’s History of Deadly Quakes
Flores has experienced some of Indonesia’s deadliest disasters. A powerful earthquake and tsunami in 1992 killed approximately 2,500 people on the island. Indonesia sits on the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the collision of tectonic plates makes it one of the world’s most seismically active nations, subject to frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. At least 241 homes were damaged in the Flores region alone, according to national disaster official Abdul Muhari. The search operation continues with priority on clearing rubble in the hardest-hit areas to locate survivors.
Sources: Associated Press; Rappler; Philippine Daily Inquirer; BBC News; USGS
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