Jakarta, ThedailyID — Rescuers searched through debris on Saturday after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off Flores Island in East Nusa Tenggara, killing at least 47 people.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) raised the death toll from 40 reported late Saturday. Meanwhile, 50 people suffered injuries, according to the National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas).
Rescue teams focused on locating victims who may remain trapped under collapsed buildings. However, landslides have blocked several roads and complicated rescue operations.
BNPB head Suharyanto said several people remained trapped inside buildings.
“These will be the initial targets of the disaster response teams,” Suharyanto said.
The earthquake damaged nearly 160 houses, along with dozens of educational and health facilities and other public buildings.
The disaster also displaced around 2,000 people, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Preparations were underway to deliver humanitarian assistance to people staying in temporary shelters.
The Indonesian government also sent 50,000 aid packages weighing a total of 275 tonnes to affected areas.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered assistance through the European Union’s Copernicus Earth observation system.
“Europe stands ready to deploy Copernicus, our eyes in the sky, to support search and rescue efforts. Indonesia, we stand with you,” von der Leyen wrote on X.
The earthquake struck at 4:58 a.m. Central Indonesian Time on Saturday. Its epicenter was located off the northern coast of Flores, about 68 kilometers northwest of Ende.
Several strong aftershocks followed, including one measuring magnitude 6.1.
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) initially issued a tsunami warning. Authorities later lifted the warning on Saturday morning.
Officials urged residents to stay away from damaged buildings because further aftershocks could cause additional collapses.
The earthquake was also felt in parts of West Nusa Tenggara and South Sulawesi. Many residents in Flores reported power and telecommunications disruptions.
Flores previously experienced a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in 1992. That earthquake triggered a tsunami and killed around 2,500 people.
Separately, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck North Sumatra on Saturday. BMKG said the quake occurred at a depth of 168 kilometers, with its epicenter on land about 11 kilometers southeast of Simalungun Regency.
