Thousands of people were still waiting for aid on Indonesia’s Flores island on Monday, as the country marked its 81st Independence Day days after a powerful earthquake killed at least 54 people and left widespread destruction across East Nusa Tenggara province.
While the nation celebrated, many residents on Flores were mourning victims, searching for missing relatives and waiting for assistance in communities cut off by the quake.
Thousands forced into temporary shelters
The earthquake damaged more than 1,300 homes across the province, including nearly 250 on Flores alone. Around 5,000 people were forced to seek shelter in temporary camps, while 135 people were injured, according to the National Disaster Management Agency.
The provincial governor declared a 14-day state of emergency on Sunday as rescue and relief operations continued.
The quake struck shortly before 6 am on Saturday at a depth of 10 kilometres, according to the US Geological Survey. Residents fled after tsunami warnings were issued, although the alerts were later lifted.
Authorities have recorded at least 995 aftershocks since the earthquake, with 46 of them felt by residents.
Homes reduced to rubble
Thousands of people spent Sunday night outdoors under tarpaulin shelters near their damaged homes, fearing further tremors.
An Associated Press photojournalist reported widespread destruction, including roads blocked by fallen trees and landslides that sent large boulders downslope. Several homes were destroyed or badly damaged, while parked cars were crushed by collapsing buildings.
"My house is just rubble now,” said Rasyid Jafar, a clothing trader in Reo village, one of the worst-hit areas in Manggarai regency. ”We need food, medicine and clean water urgently.”
Relief reaches some areas, but gaps remain
More than 3,500 military and police personnel have been deployed across the affected areas. Authorities have also sent 275 tons of aid, although difficult logistics have slowed deliveries to some of the worst-hit communities.
Survivors said basic facilities were still lacking, including equipment to prepare meals.
“We have nothing left ... Why isn't there a public kitchen?" said Mariana Tewu, another resident of Reo.
Flores remembers 1992 disaster
The latest earthquake has brought back memories of the devastating 1992 Flores earthquake and tsunami, which killed about 2,500 people.
Indonesia is highly vulnerable to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions because it lies along the Pacific “Ring of Fire”. In 2018, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake and subsequent tsunami on Sulawesi killed more than 4,400 people. In 2004, a magnitude 9.1 earthquake off Sumatra triggered a tsunami that killed about 230,000 people across a dozen countries.