By Sandra Kenneth
Thousands of survivors in eastern Indonesia were forced to sleep in makeshift shelters and public buildings on Monday as relief agencies struggled to deliver aid in the aftermath of a powerful 7.7-magnitude earthquake that struck over the weekend.
The tremor, which hit early Saturday off the northern coast of Flores island, has claimed at least 54 lives and left more than 100 people injured. Indonesia’s national disaster agency (BNPB) reported that displacement numbers swelled to nearly 12,800 by Monday morning. Search and rescue teams continue to scour affected areas, though officials confirmed there are currently no reports of missing persons.
With over 1,600 aftershocks unsettling the region, traumatized residents have refused to return to damaged structures, opting instead to camp out in schools, police stations, and makeshift tents built from poles and tarpaulins. For many local inhabitants, the disaster brings back memories of the devastating 1992 earthquake and tsunami on the same island, which killed approximately 2,500 people.
Survivors in the town of Mbay, located near the epicenter in Nagekeo regency, expressed growing frustration over delays in relief supplies. Local residents reported going days without basic government assistance, including clean water, food, medicine, and emergency shelter.
In response to the humanitarian crisis, the Indonesian military and Air Force have mobilized transport aircraft and helicopters to deliver 13 tonnes of relief provisions—comprising emergency medical equipment, clean water, clothing, and food—directly to isolated communities.
The physical toll on the region is extensive, with BNPB officials reporting severe damage to at least 914 homes alongside dozens of public buildings, including hospitals and schools. The international NGO Save the Children highlighted that over 8,000 children face severe safety risks and immediate disruptions to their education.
Indonesia remains exceptionally vulnerable to seismic activity due to its location along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a high-intensity arc of volcanoes and fault lines spanning the Pacific basin.
